Gualaca bus crash
{{Short description|2023 transport disaster in Panama}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox public transit accident
| date = February 15, 2023
| type = Plunge from cliff
| cause = Driver error
| injuries = 24
| missing =
| coordinates = {{coord|8.6304|-82.2132|type:event|display=inline,title|format=dms}}
| pushpin_map = Panama
| location = Gualaca District, Chiriquí Province, Panama
}}
On February 15, 2023, 42 people were killed in a bus crash in Panama. The bus was headed to a migrant reception center in the town of Gualaca when it crashed in Gualaca District, Chiriquí Province, in the west of the country, about {{Convert|67.8|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the Costa Rican border.
The bus carried 66 passengers, most presumably migrants traveling north towards 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. It is 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 by the time of the accident.{{Cite news |last=Moreno |first=Elida |date=February 15, 2023 |title=At least 39 migrants die in bus crash off Panama cliff |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/least-33-migrants-die-pamana-bus-crash-official-2023-02-15/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220102416/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/least-33-migrants-die-pamana-bus-crash-official-2023-02-15/ |archive-date=February 20, 2023}}
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.{{Cite news |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=February 15, 2023 |title=At least 39 migrants killed in Panama bus crash after crossing Darién Gap |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/15/migrants-killed-panama-bus-crash-crossing-darien-gap |url-status=live |access-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218070415/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/15/migrants-killed-panama-bus-crash-crossing-darien-gap |archive-date=February 18, 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}
Crash
On February 15, 2023, the bus driver attempted to turn around after missing the shelter entrance and lost control of the bus, veering off the road and down a ravine, hitting a minibus on a road below.{{Cite news |date=February 15, 2023 |title=Panama migrant bus plunges off road killing 39 |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-64653129 |url-status=live |access-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215222709/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-64653129 |archive-date=February 15, 2023}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=February 15, 2023 |title=At least 39 migrants dead in bus crash in Panama |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/39-migrants-dead-bus-crash-panama-97220282 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215202152/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/39-migrants-dead-bus-crash-panama-97220282 |archive-date=February 15, 2023 |access-date=February 18, 2023 |website=Associated Press |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=February 15, 2023 |title=At least 39 dead in Panama migrant bus crash |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230215-at-least-33-dead-in-panama-migrant-bus-crash |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217064402/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230215-at-least-33-dead-in-panama-migrant-bus-crash |archive-date=February 17, 2023 |access-date=February 18, 2023 |website=France 24 |language=en}} Both drivers on the bus were appropriately licensed Panamanians, one of whom died. The crash took place approximately {{convert|400|km|abbr=on}} west of Panama City, after the bus had traveled {{convert|700|km|abbr=on}} in around 14 hours.
Victims
Thirty-nine people were killed in the crash with another 24 people injured. The United Nations Children's Fund told Agence France-Presse three children died.{{Cite web |date=February 17, 2023 |title=Panama migrant bus crash kills nearly 40 |url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/02/17/news/world/panama-migrant-bus-crash-kills-nearly-40/1879053 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218071919/https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/02/17/news/world/panama-migrant-bus-crash-kills-nearly-40/1879053 |archive-date=February 18, 2023 |access-date=February 18, 2023 |website=The Manila Times |language=en |agency=Agence France-Presse}} A nearby hospital admitted ten injured children between the ages of 4 and 11. The official list of passengers was released a day after the crash. There were 22 Ecuadorians, 16 Haitians, 11 Venezuelans, six Brazilians, five Colombians, two Cameroonians, two Cubans, one Nigerian, and one Eritrean.{{Cite web |last=Canto |first=Ana |date=February 16, 2023 |title=Listado oficial de nacionalidades de los migrantes que viajaban hacia Gualaca |trans-title=Official list of nationalities of migrants traveling to Gualaca |url=https://www.telemetro.com/nacionales/listado-oficial-nacionalidades-los-migrantes-que-viajaban-gualaca-n5847518 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217072238/https://www.telemetro.com/nacionales/listado-oficial-nacionalidades-los-migrantes-que-viajaban-gualaca-n5847518 |archive-date=February 17, 2023 |access-date=February 23, 2023 |website=Telemetro |language=es-PA}}{{Cite news |last=Schmidt |first=Samantha |date=February 15, 2023 |title=39 killed when U.S.-bound migrant bus goes over cliff in Panama |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/15/panama-migrant-bus-crash-deaths/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215235532/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/15/panama-migrant-bus-crash-deaths/ |archive-date=February 15, 2023}}
Response
Laurentino Cortizo, the President of Panama, 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." Officials from Colombia and Panama agreed to boost joint military operations in the Darién jungle to prevent irregular migration, drug trafficking and illegal mining.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Road incidents in 2023}}
{{Portal bar|Buses|Panama|Roads}}
Category:2023 disasters in North America
Category:2023 in international relations
Category:2020s road incidents in North America
Category:Bus incidents in North America
Category:February 2023 in Panama