At least nine migrants have drowned after their boat capsized while trying to cross the Drina River that separates Serbia and Bosnia.
Authorities said at least 18 other migrants, including three children, arrived safely on the Bosnian side of the border.
But teams from both countries are looking for several people who are still missing. Some rivers are as wide as 200 meters.
Local media also reported that a search was underway for a smuggler who brought the migrants across the river.
Civil Defense rescue team leader Vlada Rankic told reporters that rescuers were still looking for a mother and a baby.
“Unfortunately, we don’t think there will be survivors,” he added.
Bosnian border police confirmed the incident took place in the early hours of the morning but gave no further details.
Serbian officials also confirmed an incident near the border town of Ljubovia, with police adding that most of the migrants were people from Morocco.
Serbia and Bosnia are among the main transit countries across the Western Balkans into the EU.
In September 2023, the route had more irregular crossings than the Central Mediterranean route through Italy, with many migrants passing through Bulgaria, according to EU border police organization Frontex.
The Serbian government says more than 1 million people from Asia and Africa have entered the country since the 2015 refugee crisis.
Most people trying to enter Serbia in recent months have come from Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, Morocco and Pakistan, according to government data.
But over the years, the number of migrants crossing through Serbia has dropped significantly.
In the first half of 2024, Serbian police recorded 10,389 illegal entries, a decrease of nearly 70% compared to the previous year.
Serbian officials attributed the drop to closer cooperation with Austrian police and the European Border Agency.
Many migrants use smugglers to enter Serbia from Bulgaria and North Macedonia and then try to enter EU member states Hungary or Croatia.
