More than 360 migrants have gone missing on the Balkan migrant route over the past 10 years, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Volunteers and rescuers who work daily to help people on the move testify to the harsh conditions under which these migrants risk their lives in search of a better future.
Migrants die on the Balkan route as they attempt to reach the European Union (EU). Volunteers and rescuers who assist them speak of their hardships.
“Despite everything, they really choose the hardest paths to travel. In fact, they use these paths so that no one sees them, and often they end up in situations where their lives are at risk, but they continue on, even at the cost of their lives,” says Ermin Lipovic, head of the Mountain Rescue Service in Bihac.
On the Western Balkan route, 360 migrants have gone missing since 2014. The IOM estimates that a third of these missing migrants drowned.
“What I witness daily are the immense hardships these people endure. Imagine how desperate someone must be to dare to cross such a dangerous river (the Drina) with a nine-month-old child in their arms. That alone speaks volumes about the seriousness of the situation,” says Nihad Suljic, a volunteer with the NGO “SOS Balkanroute.”
Over the past 10 years, 40 migrants have lost their lives in the Drina River.
“Unfortunately, these are not the first victims. We’re talking about several dozen victims found only in the area from Bratunac to Bijeljina, and the same goes for the area in the Republic of Serbia,” says Suljic.
They choose the hardest routes.
“We can recall a situation three years ago on Pljesevica (a mountain on the border with Croatia). We were called by officers from the state border service in Izacic, who said, ‘We have 12 migrants who fell into a pit.’ When we were rescuing them during the winter, we encountered really critical situations where they were frostbitten, and when you come across someone who is frostbitten, it’s no longer just cold; they’re crying from the pain because of the cold,” Lipovic explained.
Warnings about the dangers are often ignored.
“When they started arriving and we saw where and how they were going, we warned them about the dangers of moving through mine-explosive areas, especially in the Pljesevica region. We even had a comical situation where they were taking pictures, and when we asked, ‘Why are you taking pictures?’ they said, ‘Now we know where the police aren’t,'” adds Lipovic.
Many of those who lost their lives are buried in poorly marked graves. Volunteer Nihad Suljic from Tuzla organizes their burials.
“This is yet another result of closed border policies. If you close borders, you’ll have smugglers, crime, and victims,” Suljic concludes.
At least 8.565 people died on migrant routes worldwide in 2023, RSE writes.
E.Dz.
