Death toll rises to 11 after boat capsizes between BiH and Serbia

SARAJEVO, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) — The death toll has risen to 11 after a boat carrying illegal migrants capsized on the Drina River between Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Serbia on Wednesday, BiH’s border rescue team said on Friday.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night, when a group of around 30 migrants attempted to cross the Drina River from Serbia to BiH, according to the local authority.
Rescue operations are still ongoing.
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex reported a significant decrease in illegal border crossings in the Western Balkans during the first half of 2024. The illegal crossings towards European Union borders reached 12,407 between January and July 2024, a 75 percent drop compared to the same period last year. ■