No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCosta RicaPerils of Illegal Transportation: Migrant Accident in Los Chiles

Perils of Illegal Transportation: Migrant Accident in Los Chiles

In the early hours of Wednesday at 3:40 a.m., a terrible accident occurred in the Costa Rica border area between Los Chiles, Alajuela, and Nicaragua. A pick-up truck carrying nine Venezuelan migrants plunged into the Medio Queso River, resulting in one fatality, six individuals in urgent condition, and two others reported missing.

According to the preliminary report from the Red Cross, the incident occurred when the vehicle was traversing a bridge. For reasons yet unknown, the driver lost control, leading to the fall into the river. Several individuals were traveling in the trunk of the pick-up at the time of the accident.

The tragic event sheds light on the perils faced by migrants who resort to illegal means of transportation to avoid authorities. As highlighted by José Olivas, a Transit officer interviewed by Telenoticias, this region witnesses a significant number of people utilizing such means, to transport migrants. Often, people drive recklessly to avoid police which is the main cause of accidents.

In this case, it is speculated that the lack of railings on the bridge and high-speed might have contributed to the accident.

The Costa Rican driver was promptly detained by local authorities. The Border Police director, Adrián Salazar, confirmed the driver’s detention and submission to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation.

Search and rescue teams, including Red Cross divers, undertook a grueling mission to locate victims and assess the extent of the tragedy.

The body of the deceased woman was discovered downstream, approximately 300 meters away from the site. It was initially feared that three people were trapped inside the vehicle, but upon inspection, no victims were found.

As explained by one of the members of the rescue team, the challenging conditions of the river, with poor visibility due to its dark color, posed significant obstacles to the rescue operation.

This devastating incident serves as a reminder of the danger’s migrants have to go through daily to search for a better life. Often, they must risk their lives and the lives of their families to reach their destinations.

Authorities will conduct the appropriate investigations and determine the real cause of the accident.

Trending Now

San Jose Airport Achieves Top 5 Global Ranking in Passenger Experience

Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica's main gateway managed by AERIS, has earned the prestigious Level 5 Customer Experience certification from...

Mexico Battles Wildfire Damage with Drone-Based Reforestation

Authorities in the state of Michoacán, in western Mexico, are using drones to scatter seeds from the air in an effort to reforest hundreds...

Costa Rica Drivers Face Yearlong Delays as Tárcoles Bridge Undergoes Repairs

Those who frequently use the South Coast Highway, near the Tárcoles river, will have to be more patient.  Repair works have started on the...

Costa Rica Replaces One-Lane Bridges as Traffic and Population Grow

As the infrastructure of Costa Rica advances, with new four-lane highways and a series of bypasses around San José that avoid the narrow, congested...

Panama Canal Warns of Traffic Decline as Economic Uncertainty Grows

The Panama Canal will take in about $400 million less in the next fiscal year due to a drop in ship traffic caused by...

Costa Rica’s Sibö Chocolate Wins Bronze at Int’l Awards

Chocolate Sibö once again stood out at the International Chocolate Awards, the largest fine chocolate competition based in New York. The Costa Rican brand...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica