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10 Migrants Killed In Rushing Water While Crossing River

PANAMA-MIGRATION-RIGHTS

Image not from story Migrants arrive at the Reception Center for Migrant Care in Lajas Blancas, in the jungle province of Darien, Panama, on June 28, 2024. Panama's president-elect, Jose Raul Mulino, has pledged to close the dangerous Darien Gap, a crucial corridor for migrants from South America, Central America, and Mexico, who seek better opportunities in the United States. Mulino is set to take office on July 1. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Mariane Angela Entertainment And News Reporter
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Ten migrants perished in the waters of Panama’s Darien Gap while attempting to cross a river July 16, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Ten migrants drowned while attempting to cross a rapidly flowing river near the border with Colombia, according to AP. The National Border Service confirmed the incident, though the remoteness of the area delayed the release of the information until now. The victims were reportedly swept away by the strong current of the river and were later discovered nearby.

The Panamanian prosecutor’s office is currently investigating the incident, including determining the nationalities of the deceased, though a portion of the migrants traversing the Darien are Venezuelan, AP stated. This year has seen an increase in migration through the Darien Gap, with over 212,000 individuals having crossed into Panama from Colombia thus far, following a record-setting total of over 500,000 in 2023. (RELATED: ‘Not A Friendly Migration’: Bret Weinstein Details Trip To Darien Gap With Tucker, Warns About Alleged Chinese Camp)

In this aerial view migrants arrive at the Reception Center for Migrant Care in Lajas Blancas, in the jungle province of Darien, Panama, on June 28, 2024. Panama's president-elect, Jose Raul Mulino, has pledged to close the dangerous Darien Gap, a crucial corridor for migrants from South America, Central America, and Mexico, who seek better opportunities in the United States. Mulino is set to take office on July 1. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

In this aerial view migrants arrive at the Reception Center for Migrant Care in Lajas Blancas, in the jungle province of Darien, Panama, on June 28, 2024. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

The journey is made more hazardous by the current rainy season, which swells the rivers and increases the risk of such tragedies, AP reported. Panama’s new President, José Raúl Mulino, has vowed to curb migration through the Darien with support from the U.S. government. However, recent government actions, such as the installation of barbed wire to block popular routes and funnel migrants to a central receiving point, have raised eyebrows.

Critics argue these measures may push migrants towards even more dangerous and remote paths, according to AP. Prior to this incident, at least 29 migrants died trying to cross the Darien this year, with police records indicating 84 deaths last year.