By The Associated Press
The Panamanian government announced on Sunday the temporary suspension of the transfer of migrants by bus from the dangerous Darien region to the north of the country, after the two traffic accidents that occurred in February that left at least 40 dead.
The Panama immigration agency explained that no more trips will be made until the authorities of the Ministry of Transportation review the routes that these buses follow and guarantee their safety.
Aerial view of the accident of the bus carrying migrants on February 15, 2023 in Panama.MAURICIO VALENZUELA / AFP via Getty Images
Last Saturday, a bus caught fire on its way north.
All passengers were able to be evacuated without regretting deaths or injuries.
But at least 40 migrants died on February 15 when the vehicle they were traveling in plunged into a ravine.
Authorities, who collected DNA samples to identify the victims, believe that most of the dead were Ecuadorians, Venezuelans and Haitians.
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The bus driver had covered the route 14 times, according to the Darienita Transportation Union, to which he belonged.
Migrants often reach Panama by crossing the dangerous Darien jungle, which it shares with Colombia.
Panamanian authorities estimate that more than 250,000 migrants made the journey by land in 2020 and another 37,000 so far this year.
The number of migrants dying trying to reach the US continues to rise.
Feb 27, 202300:44
This is the worst accident of this type registered in Panama in more than 50 years.
Buses with migrants have suffered some incidents before, according to an account by The Associated Press news agency, but not of this seriousness.
In the middle of last year, some buses with migrants on board were damaged when they were attacked by a group of people who blocked the international Pan-American highway during anti-government protests, although there were no injuries.
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Until now, the reports of migrants who died in their transit through Panama had to do with mishaps that occurred during the journey on foot or in boats through the jungle and rivers of the Darién.
Panama often allows migrants to reach the border with Costa Rica, where they generally try to cross into Central America and Mexico in their goal of reaching the US border.