Bodies recovered

Search for bodies: 7 migrants drowned in river

Nine people died trying to cross the Serbian-Bosnian border river Drina (see photo) illegally by boat.(Bild: astrosystem)

Tragic news from Serbia: at least ten migrants are said to have drowned there on Thursday night while attempting to illegally cross the Serbian-Bosnian border river Drina by boat.

According to Serbia's Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, the border police in the Serbian village of Ljubovija were informed of the accident at around 5am. 

Here you can see a photo of the search operation.

Rescue service searched for bodies
Around 25 people were in the boat that capsized on the Drina between the villages of Orlaca in Serbia and Orlice near Zvornik in Bosnia-Herzegovina. 18 migrants, including three children, were able to escape to the shore.

Search teams and divers found ten bodies, according to the civil protection authorities. The nationalities of the victims were initially unclear. The Drina is considered to be a dangerous river with many rapids and rapids. Migrants drown in the river time and time again.

Significantly fewer irregular entries
Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are on the so-called Balkan route for migrants to the European Union. In recent months, people have mainly come from Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, Morocco and Pakistan. Overall, their numbers have decreased significantly: In the first half of the year, there were around 10,400 irregular entries to Serbia, which is almost 70 percent fewer than in the same period last year.