Most migrants now crossing Med to Spain

MORE migrants crossing the Mediterranean arrived in Spain last month than Italy and Greece, figures show.

For the first time since the 2015 crisis, June saw migrants favouring the western Mediterranean route over the central or eastern routes, which land in Italy and Greece respectively, according to European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex.

The number of migrants reaching Spain hit 6,400 last month, compared with 3,000 for Italy and 3,600 for Greece.

Arrivals in Spain were also more than 160 per cent higher than the figure for June last year, when around 2,500 arrived. A Frontex spokesman said it would be more cost effective for migrants to cross towards Spain.

‘What you need to pay to smugglers is cheaper than on other routes. We have also seen migrants buying toy dinghys or boats and trying to make the crossing themselves,’ it added.