Updated

Romanian border police are investigating 16 Iraqi citizens, including six children, they found in two boats on the River Danube for illegally crossing the Romanian border.

Border police said they spotted the group of eight men, two women and six children, early Tuesday in southern Romania close to the shore. The Danube forms the border between Romania and Bulgaria.

The migrants told police they had traveled through Turkey and then into Bulgaria and wanted to reach Germany. They said each family had paid 35,000 euros ($39,000).

Romania and Bulgarian authorities are investigating. They will be handed over to Bulgarian authorities under the terms of a Romanian-Bulgarian agreement.