A boat carrying 19 migrants from Venezuela and Colombia, along with two Indigenous Panamanian crew members, capsized in Caribbean waters off Panama on Friday night, authorities confirmed. The tragic accident, blamed on heavy swells and adverse weather conditions, claimed the life of an 8‑year‑old Venezuelan boy, according to Panama’s Senafront border service.
Border police said the vessel, overloaded with 21 people, was part of a “reverse flow” of migrants returning home after facing tightened U.S. immigration policies. Once hopeful of seeking asylum in the United States, many of these migrants had seen their plans dashed when President Donald Trump’s administration shuttered the Biden-era CBP One app used for formal asylum requests.
Rescue efforts by Panamanian authorities have so far saved 20 individuals, though officials expressed deep regret over the loss of the child. “We are doing everything in our power to save lives and provide assistance to those stranded at sea,” a spokesperson said.
Witnesses reported seeing several boats departing from a makeshift dock at the port of Cartí in northern Panama, with dozens of migrants onboard. “What else were we going to do but return home?” one Venezuelan migrant explained, describing a harrowing journey that had seen many stranded for more than 15 days while scraping together funds for passage.
The incident highlights a growing trend among South American migrants who, discouraged by U.S. border restrictions, are opting to return to their native countries. Many choose the maritime route—navigating between coastal communities in Panama, Colombia, and the Guna Yala archipelago—as a safer alternative to the perilous overland trek through the Darien Gap, notorious for its treacherous terrain and risks posed by criminal gangs.
Officials in neighboring Costa Rica have observed between 50 and 75 new migrants embarking on similar southbound journeys daily, as stricter immigration policies prompt a significant reversal in migration flows. Smugglers, long active in these routes, continue to profit despite the decrease in northward-bound migration.
Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations while monitoring the evolving situation. More updates are expected as efforts to locate any remaining individuals and provide humanitarian assistance continue.
