A boat carrying migrants overturned while crossing the Drina River from Serbia to Bosnia in the early hours of Thursday, August 22, 2024, resulting in at least 11 deaths, including a nine-month-old baby, officials confirmed.
Serbian police received a distress call around 5 a.m. after the boat capsized near Ljubovija, Serbia. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that 18 migrants reached the Bosnian shore, including 10 minors. Sixteen of the survivors are from Syria, and two are from Egypt. However, authorities have not confirmed the number of people on the boat, with estimates ranging from 25 to 30 passengers.
Dacic reported that the body of a baby, approximately nine months old, had been discovered. The baby was traveling with its mother, whose body had been recovered from the river earlier in the day. He added that police and rescuers continue searching the Drina River and the surrounding areas.
Local authorities and emergency services, including divers and firefighters, have been deployed on both sides of the 215-mile-long river, which forms a large part of the border between Serbia and Bosnia. However, according to Bosnian emergency official Boris Trninic, the rescue operation was temporarily halted due to worsening weather conditions.
The Drina River is a known migration route for individuals attempting to reach wealthier European Union countries, such as Hungary and Croatia. Migrants often rely on smugglers to facilitate the dangerous crossings.
Serbia and Bosnia have become major transit countries along the Balkan land route. The route has been a focal point for migrants fleeing conflict zones and economic instability in the Middle East and Africa. Many of these individuals enter Serbia via Bulgaria and North Macedonia before continuing their journey through Bosnia or other EU-bordering countries.
The involvement of smugglers has been a growing concern in the region. Bosnian and Serbian authorities are investigating the circumstances of this latest incident and are searching for the individuals believed to be responsible for organizing the illegal crossing.
Despite the dangers, thousands of migrants attempt these crossings yearly. In recent years, cooperation between Serbian authorities and the EU border agency Frontex has reduced migrant crossings. According to Serbian officials, migrant crossings decreased by nearly 70% in the first half of 2024 compared to 2023.
As of Thursday evening, search and rescue efforts are ongoing. Emergency teams are combing the Drina River and the surrounding area for any remaining survivors or victims.