Ten migrants drown as boat overturns on Drina River
Migrant boat capsizes on Drina River, leaving ten dead
A tragic incident occurred on the Drina River when a boat carrying migrants from the Middle East overturned, leading to the drowning of at least 10 individuals, according to officials from Bosnia and Serbia.
Serbian police received a report about the accident around 5 a.m. from Bosnian authorities and a local citizen, stated Interior Minister Ivica Dacic. Initially, Dacic mentioned that 18 migrants, including three children, had successfully crossed into Bosnia out of the 25 aboard the boat on the Drina River. Later, he updated the number of victims to 10, indicating the possibility of more migrants being on the boat when it overturned.
“The lifeless body of a baby, approximately nine months old, has been discovered,” Dacic reported. “The baby was with its mother whose body was retrieved from the river earlier today.” He added that police and rescuers are continuing their search efforts along the Drina River and surrounding areas.
🧵 Bodies of ten people were pulled out from Drina River after a boat, in which group of migrants attempted to cross from Serbia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, capsized early on Thursday morning, Serbian interior minister Ivica Dacic said.
*Photo: Serbian Interiror Ministry pic.twitter.com/hbsH6YlUFR
— Balkan Insight (@BalkanInsight) August 22, 2024
Among the 18 migrants who reached the shore of the Drina River, 16 are from Syria and two are from Egypt, with ten of them being minors, Dacic noted. Bosnian emergency official Boris Trninic previously mentioned about 30 people were on the boat, with 15 reaching safety. The exact number of passengers on the vessel remains unconfirmed.
Migrants travelling the Balkan route to Western Europe often enter Serbia from Bulgaria or North Macedonia before heading towards Hungary, Croatia, or Bosnia. In their quest to reach affluent European nations, those fleeing conflict and poverty frequently rely on smugglers for unauthorised border crossings.
What Other Media Are Saying
- The Times of India reports that a baby was among at least 10 people who drowned after a migrant boat overturned on the Serbia-Bosnia border, as part of the Balkan land route.(read more)
- PBS News reports at least 8 people drowned after a migrant boat overturned while crossing the Drina river from Serbia to Bosnia, with 18 survivors including 3 children.(read more)
- AP News: A devastating incident occurred on August 22, 2024, when a migrant boat transporting 25 individuals, including three minors, overturned in the Drina River, resulting in at least 10 fatalities, including a baby, with 18 survivors reaching Bosnia.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What happened to the boat on the Drina River?
A boat carrying migrants overturned, drowning at least 10 people.
How many migrants were in the boat when it capsized?
Officials estimate between 25 to 30 migrants were in the boat.
How many people survived the accident?
At least 18 migrants made it to shore safely.
Where were the migrants from?
The migrants were primarily from Syria and Egypt.
What is the Balkan land route?
The Balkan land route is used by migrants to reach Western Europe from countries like Bulgaria and North Macedonia.
