Tragedy on Drina River: Migrant Boat Capsizes

A tragic accident occurred on the Drina river where a boat carrying migrants capsized, resulting in at least ten deaths, including a baby. Serbian and Bosnian authorities are conducting rescue operations, although the exact number of passengers remains uncertain. Survivors reported being from Syria and Egypt.

A baby was among at least 10 people who drowned after a boat carrying migrants overturned while crossing the Drina river from Serbia to Bosnia, officials in the two Balkan countries said on Thursday.

Serbian police received a call around 5 a.m. from their counterparts in Bosnia and a citizen who reported the accident, said Interior Minister Ivica Dacic.

Dacic initially reported that 18 migrants, including three children, had managed to cross into Bosnia out of the 25 people on board. However, he later stated that the number of victims had risen to 10, suggesting there might have been more migrants in the boat.

'The lifeless body of a baby that is about nine months old has been found,' said Dacic. 'The baby was with its mother whose body was pulled out of the river earlier today.' 'Police and rescuers are continuing a further search of the Drina river and the surrounding terrain,' he added.

Out of 18 migrants who made it to shore, 16 are from Syria and two are from Egypt, ten of whom are minors, according to Dacic.

Bosnian emergency official Boris Trninic had earlier mentioned that there were about 30 people in the boat, 15 of whom reached safety. The exact number of people on the boat remains unconfirmed.

Migrants using the so-called Balkan land route in their efforts to reach Western Europe come to Serbia from Bulgaria or North Macedonia before moving on to Hungary, Croatia, or Bosnia.

People fleeing wars and poverty often turn to people smugglers to take them across borders without authorization, hoping to reach wealthy European countries.

(With inputs from agencies.)