Migrants on their way to Panama Rescued in the Colombian Caribbean

Colombian authorities rescued 41 Asian and Caucasian migrants, including seven minors, who were traveling to Panama in a “precarious” boat sailing through the waters of the Caribbean Gulf of Urabá, the Navy reported.

The ship was found two kilometers from Sapzurro, in the department of Chocó (bordering Panama) and one of the gateways to Darién, when it was sailing at “high speed”, so a Rapid Reaction Unit (URR) of the Navy intercepted it.

Of the 41 migrants rescued, 13 are Armenian, 12 Indian, 12 Iranian and four Vietnamese, who were placed at the disposal of Migración Colombia.

Meanwhile, the three crew members of the boat, all Colombians, were arrested and will be charged with the crime of migrant trafficking.

“The new migrant trafficking mafia is now global and has ceased to be a Latin American problem on the American continent,” said Colombian President Gustavo Petro, referring to this case.

Migrant transit through Darién, the border jungle between Panama and Colombia, fell by 93% in the first 23 days of 2025 compared to the same period last year, with only 1,710 people crossing so far in January.