Local media, citing an official, reported that at least three migrants drowned, and others were still missing, when their boat capsized on Thursday morning as they attempted to cross the Drina River from Serbia into Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Civilian Defense Director Boris Trninic, told Srna News Agency that authorities in Bosnia recovered three bodies but there could be another dozen undiscovered.

Trninic stated that "according to unofficial reports, there were 30 people on the boat. Of those 15, 15 made it to the shore."

It was not possible to reach the Bosnian authorities for comment immediately.

Officials in Serbia confirmed an incident on the river but were unable to confirm deaths.

Ivica dacic, the Interior Minister, said that 25 people were aboard. Only 18 of them reached Bosnian territory.

The so-called Balkan Route, which passes through Turkey, Bulgaria and North Macedonia, is used by thousands of people every year to travel from the Middle East and North Africa to wealthy Western countries.

Accidents are common as many migrants cross borders with the assistance of sophisticated networks of smugglers. (Reporting and editing by Jan Harvey; Aleksandar Vasovic, Daria Sito Sucic)

(source: Reuters)