West African Sea Arrivals in Europe Drop 59 Per Cent in Early 2026, IOM Reports

Sea arrivals in Europe from four major West African nations dropped by 59 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to data released on 13 October 2026 by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Geneva and Dakar.

Between January and June 2026, a total of 4,566 people from Mali, Senegal, Guinea, and The Gambia were registered arriving in Europe by sea. Despite the overall decrease, the IOM reported that migration drivers persist and journeys remain perilous as travel patterns shift across various corridors.

The West African Atlantic Route (WAAR) remained the primary path, accounting for 83 per cent of registered West African arrivals in the first six months of 2026. Meanwhile, the proportion of West African nationals using Mediterranean corridors increased; the Western Mediterranean Route rose to 21.9 per cent from 15.6 per cent in 2025, and the Central Mediterranean Route increased to 10.5 per cent from 8.6 per cent in 2025.

IOM Director General Amy Pope noted that lower arrival numbers in specific locations often indicate that migration pressures have shifted to alternative paths rather than dissipated, emphasizing the necessity of monitoring entire migration journeys.

The decline in arrivals coincides with joint efforts by origin, transit, and destination countries to improve migration governance, expand protection and reintegration mechanisms, and strengthen cross-border cooperation. However, data on departures and interceptions indicate ongoing attempts to make the crossing.

On the West African Atlantic Route, arrivals to the Canary Islands dropped by 62 per cent from 2024 to 2025, yet recorded deaths and disappearances fell by only 4 per cent—from 1,215 to 1,172—over the same timeframe. The IOM indicated that tighter controls in traditional embarkation locations in Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal have pushed departures further south to The Gambia, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau.

These southern launch points can add up to 750 kilometres to the journey, resulting in sea crossings of up to roughly 2,200 kilometres. The extended routes expose migrants to longer periods at sea, less monitored coastlines, and elevated risks of dehydration, shipwreck, and disappearance.

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