PANAMA CITY: At least four migrants died and two were missing after a boat carrying mostly Afghans capsized off Panama's Caribbean coast, authorities said Thursday.
The boat sank Wednesday near the notorious jungles of the Darien Gap, through which a record number of migrants crossed last year from South America.
The public security ministry said in a statement that four “lifeless bodies” had been found, two men and two women.
“We can confirm that there were 27 migrants on the boat, two of which are missing,“ said National Border Service director general Jorge Gobea.
“Most of the migrants were of Afghan nationality,“ he added.
Search and rescue efforts were still underway Thursday morning.
According to the National Border Service, the waters where the boat capsized were particularly difficult to navigate due to waves, currents and winds.
Around 520,000 migrants entered Panama in 2023 through the Darien Gap -- a new record -- including roughly 120,000 minors, according to the Panamanian government.
While most were fleeing economic crisis in Venezuela, migrants from Africa and Asia also brave the lawless, virtually impassable rainforest that straddles Panama and Colombia, in a bid to reach the United States. -AFP