At least three people have died and eight others were injured after a boat carrying migrants capsized early Thursday in the Sava River in eastern Croatia, according to local authorities.
The incident took place near the town of Slavonski Brod, close to Croatia’s border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rescue teams said the group appeared to be attempting to cross the river in heavy fog when their boat overturned.
Emergency services received a call at around 5:30am reporting that several people had fallen into the water. Firefighters and rescue crews were immediately dispatched with boats to search for survivors.
Police said a Bosnian national suspected of facilitating human smuggling has been taken to hospital. The nationalities of the migrants have not yet been confirmed.
Many people fleeing conflict or poverty in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa attempt dangerous journeys toward Western Europe, often relying on smugglers to guide them illegally across borders. Croatia, an EU member state, frequently sees migrants entering from Bosnia or Serbia as part of this route.
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