CNN —Ten migrants drowned in a flooded river near Panama’s coastal community of Carreto while crossing the Darién Gap, Panama’s National Border Service (Senafront) said Wednesday. Senafront did not specify the nationalities of the migrants or when they drowned. The agency said the case is still under investigation but suspects that transnational organized criminals and local collaborators led the migrants through unauthorized border crossings, putting their lives at risk. The Darién Gap is a mountainous rainforest region connecting Colombia in South America to Panama in Central America that is a crucial passage for migrants hoping to reach the United States and Canada. Senafront said the only authorized migration corridor is one that leads to Cañas Blancas, “where specialized patrols are available for their protection and humanitarian assistance.”This is a developing story.

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Persons: Senafront, José Raúl, “, ” Mulino, Cañas Organizations: CNN, National Border Service, country’s Ministry of Public Security Locations: Carreto, Colombia, South America, Panama, Central America, United States, Canada