The bodies of ten individuals were recovered by Friday morning from the Drina River, following the capsizing of a boat carrying illegal migrants the previous day, official sources in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) confirmed on Friday.

Boris Trninic, Director of Civil Protection for the Republika Srpska, told local media that rescue teams and divers discovered the lifeless bodies of nine adults and a six-month-old baby during a search of the river, which serves as a natural border between Serbia and Bosnia.

It is believed that around 30 people were on board the boat attempting to cross into BiH.

According to available information, 18 individuals survived the accident, including 16 Syrian nationals and two from Egypt.

Among the survivors are ten minors.

According to data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), over 64,000 migrants have lost their lives in the past decade while trying to reach safer countries, including at least 3,500 children.

BiH is a significant transit country for migrants attempting to reach Western European nations. Zarko Laketa, Director of the BiH Service for Foreigners’ Affairs, warned that migrants are increasingly falling victim to human traffickers.

He also noted that these smuggling operations are now often led by former members of the Afghan military and police special forces.