A vessel sank in the waters of the Guna Yala region, leaving 21 people adrift, according to the National Border Service (Senafront). Among the passengers were 19 migrants of Colombian and Venezuelan nationalities, as well as two indigenous Panamanians who operated the boat as captain and assistant.
According to preliminary reports, the accident occurred due to strong currents and adverse waves in the area. Rescue teams, in collaboration with the local community, have initiated a search operation to locate the missing persons. So far, authorities have not confirmed the exact number of fatalities nor the time the tragedy occurred.
In the midst of the emergency, some reports on social media linked this shipwreck to the recent deportation of migrants from the United States to Panama and their subsequent transfer to Colombia. However, La Verdad Panamá confirmed that the passengers of the sunken vessel do not belong to those deported groups.
Between February 12 and 15, 299 migrants, mostly of Asian origin, were returned to Panama on three flights from the U.S. These migrants were initially housed in a hotel in the Panamanian capital and then moved to a shelter in Darién. Panamanian authorities have clarified that there is no connection between these migrants and those affected by the shipwreck in Guna Yala.
Meanwhile, rescue operations continue, and an updated report on the situation of the missing is expected in the coming hours.
