At least 39 people have died after the bus they were in plunged down the ravine in Panama. Most of the people on the mus were undocumented migrants heading to the united stated border to seek asylum.
According to Panama's National Migration Service, the injured, including children, were treated at nearby hospitals. The death toll from the accident is expected to rise as the investigation into the cause of the accident continues.
A press statement by the city confirms that the bus had 66 people on board. They claim that the accident happened when the bus hit an oncoming minibus, lost control and rolled down the ravine. The accident occurred around 390 kilometres west of the capital Panama City.
The bus was carrying migrants who had crossed the Darien Gap, an inhospitable jungle area bordering Colombia. It was heading west toward Costa Rica, where they intended to continue their journey through Central America and Mexico, eventually arriving in the United States.
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The bus was on the way to a boarding house in Gualaca next to the Costa Rica border, where the migrants were to have rested before proceeding on their journey.
The President of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, sent his condolences to the bereaved families, adding that government teams were working hard to provide medical assistance to the survivors of the accident.
Every year, thousands of migrants risk their lives as they make their way through the dense, swampy Darien Gap, a roadless jungle area teeming with wild animals, dangerous rivers, and criminal gangs.
Despite the risks, the percentage of irregular migrants arriving in Panama on their way to the United States roughly doubled to 248,000 in 2022, according to the immigration authority.
Well over half were Venezuelans, with the rest coming from Ecuador, Haiti, and Cuba, as well as Africa and Asia. Most of these people are fleeing political persecution and violence in their home countries.
