Panama Migrant Bus Carrying 66 People Plunges Into Ravine, Killing 39

A bus carrying 66 passengers plunged into a ravine in Panama, killing 39 people and injuring around 20 others. Most of the passengers were reportedly migrants bound for the U.S.-Mexico border.

The accident reportedly happened at Gualaca town, near the Costa Rica border, in the early hours of Wednesday. Reports indicated that the bus driver mistakenly passed a migrant hostel in the area and tried to turn around.

However, according to BBC, the driver reportedly lost control and plunged into a ravine. It was unclear why the driver lost control on the twisting road, but some reports said there was a collision with another bus and went off a cliff.

Panamanian officials have yet to disclose the identities and nationalities of those who passed away in the road accident. Most of these migrants were reportedly trekking for days through the country's southern jungles on their way to the U.S.

Panama is one of the most dangerous countries that migrants have to travel through to get to the U.S.-Mexico border. Thousands of migrants risk their lives crossing Darien Gap, a remote area on the border between Panama and Colombia that consists of more than 60 miles of perilous rainforests, steep mountains, and vast swamps.

In a statement, Panama's President Laurentino Cortizo extended his condolences to the families of those who died in the accident and reiterated his "commitment to continue providing humanitarian aid and decent conditions to deal with irregular migration."

Migrants in Panama's Bus May be From Haiti or Cuba

The Biden administration has put forth a new policy that would make it easier for people from Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Nicaragua, to migrate to the U.S. and not go through the U.S.-Mexico border and dangerous areas such as the Darien Gap.

However, while this policy has decreased the number of migrants from those countries by a staggering amount, there are still migrants trying to get to the U.S. the old-fashioned way.

While Panamanian officials have yet to confirm the victims' nationalities, the mayor of Gualaca, Luis Manuel Etribí Miranda, noted that most of the bus passengers were from Haiti.

Cuba's foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said he believes Cuban nationals were also among the migrants inside the bus. According to The Guardian, he has also sent his condolences to the victims of the "terrible accident."

Panama Government Usually Moves Migrants to the Other Side of the Country Via Buses

New visa requirements in Mexico and other countries in Central America have forced many migrants to travel through the Darien Gap. The trek through the Darien Gap is dangerous.

However, migrants who manage to cross the swampy area are usually moved by the Panamanian government to a camp near the Costa Rica border on the other side of Panama.

According to Al Jazeera, the migrants pay for the bus fare, and these buses, typically with two drivers and personnel from the National Immigration Service, travel in convoys to make help keep people smugglers at bay.

However, human rights groups have been criticizing the practice. Human Rights Watch activist Juan Pappier pointed out that this was a disaster waiting to happen because the buses are often overloaded with passengers as they make these long journeys without any breaks.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Record Number of People Cross Dangerous Darién Gap to Try and Reach U.S. - From BBC News