Gualaca bus crash
| Gualaca bus crash | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Details | |
| Date | February 15, 2023 |
| Location | Gualaca District, Chiriquí Province, Panama |
| Coordinates | 8°37′49″N 82°12′48″W / 8.6304°N 82.2132°W |
| Incident type | Plunge from cliff |
| Cause | Driver error |
| Statistics | |
| Deaths | 39 |
| Injured | 30 |
On February 15, 2023, 39 people were killed in a bus crash in Panama. It was headed to a migrant reception center in the town of Gualaca when it crashed near the Costa Rican border in Gualaca District, Chiriquí Province, in the west of the country.
The bus carried 66 passengers, most presumably migrants traveling north into the United States after crossing the Darién Gap from Colombia into Panama. It drove off a cliff after the driver lost control while performing a U-turn near the migrant center entrance. Twenty people were hospitalized with serious injuries, after one of the deadliest migrant accidents in Panama's history.
Background
The Darién Gap is a break in the Pan-American Highway that consists of large areas of undeveloped swampland and forest. In 2022, 248,000 migrants crossed it into North America, followed by 32,800 in 2023.[1]
This bus carried migrants who had already crossed the gap toward a shelter in Chiriquí, a western province bordering Costa Rica. Their scheduled final destination was the United States.[2]
Crash
On February 15, 2023, the bus driver attempted to turn around after missing the shelter entrance and lost control, veering off the road and down a ravine, hitting a minibus on a road below.[3][4][5] Both drivers on the bus were appropriately-licensed Panamanians. At least one died.[6] The crash took place approximately 400 kilometers west of Panama City, after the bus had travelled 700 km in around 14 hours.[7] The United Nations Children's Fund told Agence France-Presse three children died.[7] A nearby hospital admitted ten injured children between the ages of 4 and 11.[6]
Response
The passengers' nationalities were not immediately publicized. The Ecuadorian embassy said 22 were Ecuadorian. Cuba's foreign minister said some were Cuban.[6]
President of Panama Laurentino Cortizo tweeted: "This news is unfortunate for Panama and for the region. The National Government extends its condolences to the families of those killed in this accident, and reiterates its commitment to continue providing humanitarian aid and decent conditions to deal with irregular migration."[6] Officials from Colombia and Panama agreed to boost joint military operations in the Darién jungle to prevent irregular migration, drug trafficking and illegal mining.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Moreno, Elida (February 15, 2023). "At least 39 migrants die in bus crash off Panama cliff". Reuters. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ Phillips, Tom; correspondent, Tom Phillips Latin America (February 15, 2023). "At least 39 migrants killed in Panama bus crash after crossing Darién Gap". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
{{cite news}}:|last2=has generic name (help) - ^ "Panama migrant bus plunges off road killing 39". BBC News. February 15, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ "At least 39 migrants dead in bus crash in Panama". Associated Press. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ "At least 39 dead in Panama migrant bus crash". France 24. February 15, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Schmidt, Samantha (February 15, 2023). "39 killed when U.S.-bound migrant bus goes over cliff in Panama". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ a b France-Presse, Agence (February 17, 2023). "Panama migrant bus crash kills nearly 40". Retrieved February 18, 2023.
