Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that Serbian authorities were alerted around 5 a.m. by Bosnian police and a local citizen about the tragic accident.
“Police and rescuers are continuing a further search of the Drina river and the surrounding terrain,” Dacic said.
He noted that 18 migrants, including three children, had successfully crossed into Bosnia out of the 25 people on the overturned boat.
Among those who made it to shore, 16 were Syrian, while two were Egyptian, and the group included 10 minors.
Bosnian emergency official Boris Trninic mentioned that around 30 people were believed to be on the boat, with 15 managing to reach safety.
He added that confirming the exact number of passengers on board was still not possible at that moment.
Migrants travelling the Balkan land route towards Western Europe typically enter Serbia from Bulgaria or North Macedonia, before continuing on to Hungary, Croatia, or Bosnia.
Fleeing conflict and poverty, many rely on smugglers to cross borders illegally in hopes of reaching wealthier European nations.