ZAGREB, April 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Rescuers battled Wednesday to save dozens of people, believed to be undocumented migrants, stranded in a swampy area on Croatia's border with Bosnia, said the interior minister who expressed fears that some may have died.

Around 100 rescue workers, including police and firefighters, struggled to reach the group trapped near Babina Greda, about 240 kilometres (150 miles) southeast of Zagreb, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic told HRT radio.

"The terrain is extremely difficult and inaccessible," Bozinovic said.

Rescuers have reached some of the group, but there were fears others stranded near the river may have died while trying to cross, he said.

"Unfortunately, these are situations we have been facing for years. Migrants are losing lives during illegal border crossings."

In 2025, 14 migrant deaths were recorded in Croatia, with at least two killed while attempting to cross the border this year.

EU member Croatia is a major transit country for undocumented migrants trying to reach Europe through the Balkans.

In 2025, more than 12,500 Europe-bound migrants took the Balkan route, figures from the EU's border agency Frontex show.

Since 2014, more than 400 people have been reported dead or missing on the route, according to the International Organisation for Migration.