Irregular migration into the European Union fell sharply in the first seven months of the year, with detections at the bloc’s external borders down 37%, according to Frontex.

The 61,000 unauthorized entries represent a decrease of 37% compared to the same period last year, the Warsaw-based agency said on Friday.

It acknowledged that the figure was based on an analysis of preliminary data and did not reflect the "extraordinary events" at the EU's external border of the Spanish exclave of Ceuta.

At the end of July, according to the Spanish government, around 80,000 people entered the exclave at one point. Morocco itself reported around 40,000 arrivals in the chaos, during which 83 people died.

The incident sparked a debate about protecting the EU's external borders and Spain's responsibility.

According to Frontex, the main migration routes continue to lead across the Mediterranean Sea, where many people try to cross by boat.

The route across the eastern Mediterranean from Türkiye to Greece, as well as the route across the central Mediterranean from Libya and Tunisia to Italy and Malta, accounted for a total of 60% of registered irregular entries.

While there was a significant decrease on both routes, the border agency recorded a 37% increase on the western sea route to Spain.