Ten migrants drowned in a river in Panama

The National Border Service (Senafront) announced the death of ten migrants due to the flooding of a river in an isolated area of ​​Panama, close to the Caribbean coast and the border with Colombia. The authorities explained that many people continue to use prohibited crossings to continue their journey, but that this causes these fatal accidents.

“In the riverside tributaries near the community of Carreto [en la comarca indígena de Guna Yala] “Ten bodies of migrants who drowned due to high water (river flooding) were observed,” Senafront said in a statement.

“Transnational organized crime, through local collaborators in these Caribbean coastal communities, insists on using unauthorized crossings, putting the lives of these people at serious risk,” added the border police.

They did not specify the nationality of the victims.

The note does not specify whether the deceased crossed the Darien jungle, which has become a corridor for migrants trying to reach the United States, or whether they arrived by boat. It also does not specify the nationalities of the victims.

In 2023, more than half a million people crossed this 575,000-hectare jungle, despite dangers such as fast-flowing rivers, wild animals and criminal groups.

The majority are Venezuelans, although Ecuadorians, Colombians, Haitians and Chinese also stand out.

Trails used by migrants closed

Panamanian authorities do not know exactly how many people die on this journey because the terrain is inaccessible and because sometimes the bodies are devoured by animals.

“Unfortunately, these are human losses,” but these situations “occur precisely because of the way in which people carry out this type of migration,” said the director of International Cooperation of the Ombudsman’s Office, Jonathan Santana.

“It is necessary for migrants to also be aware of these risks, especially given the border we have,” he added.

In recent weeks, the Panamanian government has closed several trails used by people crossing the jungle and opened a “humanitarian corridor” to control migrants and prevent them from being attacked by criminal gangs.

With this “humanitarian corridor,” the Panamanian authorities also seek to ensure that migrants arrive safely at a shelter where they are cared for by international organizations such as the Red Cross, UNICEF or UNHCR.

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