Five migrants drown trying to cross Kupa river into Slovenia, Croatian police say

Five migrants have drowned while trying to cross the Kupa river on the border between Croatia and Slovenia, Croatian police said on Friday, the Associated Press reported.

An officer who arrived first at the scene jumped into the river — which is called the Kolpa in Slovenia — police said. He helped rescue five other people from the river, while the remaining migrants crossed into Slovenia, according to a police statement.

No other details were immediately available, the AP report said.

Croatia lies on the so-called Balkan land route used by migrants trying to reach Western Europe. People fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Asia and Africa often face perils on their monthslong journeys, the agency noted.

Croatian police have not released any further information about the circumstances of the attempted crossing or the identities of those who died.

Sources

• The Associated Press: 5 migrants drown while crossing from Croatia to Slovenia