Ten migrants drowned in a flooded river near the coastal community of Carreto while attempting to cross the Darién Gap, Panama’s National Border Service (Senafront) reported on Wednesday.
Senafront did not disclose the nationalities of the migrants or the exact time of the incident. The case remains under investigation, but authorities suspect that transnational organized criminals and local collaborators guided the migrants through unauthorized border crossings, putting their lives at significant risk.
The Darién Gap, a dense and mountainous rainforest region, connects Colombia in South America to Panama in Central America. This area is a critical passage for migrants aiming to reach the United States and Canada. Recently, there has been a surge in the number of migrants willing to undertake the dangerous 66-mile (106-kilometer) journey through the gap.
Earlier this month, the United States and Panama signed an agreement to curb the illegal migration through the Darién Gap. Since July, Panama’s new government, led by President José Raúl Mulino, has implemented measures to control unauthorized crossings, including placing barbed wire across several routes. This forces migrants entering illegally from Colombia to use a single authorized entrance, according to Panama’s Ministry of Public Security.
“I will not allow Panama to be a path open to thousands of people who enter our country illegally, supported by an international organization linked to drug and human trafficking,” President Mulino stated during his swearing-in ceremony.
Senafront emphasized that the only authorized migration corridor leads to Cañas Blancas, where specialized patrols are available to provide protection and humanitarian assistance.
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This is very tragic!! May their souls RIP!!
The border need to be well secured
Oh my God 🥲
May their memories serve as a call to action for safer migration pathways and more compassionate border policies.
This is bad 😩