Migrant dies after van plunges into river in Croatia

Police in Croatia say a migrant has died after a van carrying 12 of them plunged into a river near the border with Slovenia.

Police say the crash happened early Sunday after the van driver refused to stop at a checkpoint and was chased by a patrol. The driver, presumably a migrant smuggler, managed to get out of the sinking vehicle, fleeing into a nearby minefield and a search for him is ongoing.

Police rescued 11 migrants from the sinking van by breaking its windows, but a woman died at a hospital.

Last week, Slovenia started erecting additional fences on its southern border with Croatia after a considerable increase in the number of migrants trying to illegally cross between the two European Union-member states.