CNN — A growing number of Latin American migrants who have given up hope of reaching the United States are returning to their home countries in South America through a sea route in Panama, which poses new risks, according to authorities.
Instead of trekking through the treacherous Darien Jungle between North and South America – as thousands had done on their way to the United States – many migrants are now boarding small boats on Panama’s Caribbean coast, making their way toward Colombia by sea.
The uptick in boat journeys comes as the Trump administration has been enforcing strict policies to remove migrants from the US or limit their entry.
But these boat rides to Colombia, which cover more than 100 nautical miles in a single day, can be dangerous. Last week, an eight-year-old girl from Venezuela died after the boat she was traveling on sank near the community of Mansucum, Panama, according to the country’s National Border Service, known as SENAFRONT.
The boat was one of three that had taken off from the Port of Llano Carti toward La Miel, Panama, near the border with Colombia. The other two boats suspended their journeys due to “adverse conditions” at sea, but the third continued despite the warnings and ultimately sank, authorities said.
Twenty migrants – mostly from Venezuela and Colombia – were rescued after Friday’s shipwreck, according to SENAFRONT.
The Panamanian foreign ministry said it regretted what happened and added that the country “reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation and respect for human rights, particularly in situations involving people in vulnerable conditions.”
These boat rides are happening in the Guna Yala indigenous territory of northeastern Panama.
Anelio Merry, a spokesperson for the Guna people, told CNN that in the past week, there has been a significant increase of migrants crossing through the region to reach Colombia.
On Sunday alone, at least 110 migrants sought boat rides from the ports of the Guna Yala region to the Colombian port town of Necoclí, Merry said.
It’s unclear how many migrants in total have been taking the reverse route. CNN has reached out to the Panamanian government and the UN’s refugee agency for comment.
The Guna community worry the reverse migration could strain their resources because they lack services and infrastructure to adequately provide care for migrants. In a statement shared Sunday, the community called on the Panama and US governments, “and international organizations to suspend the massive arrival of migrants to our territory.”
Panamanian Security Minister Frank Ábrego said Tuesday that the boat rides are happening “with the full knowledge” of authorities in the Guna Yala region. He said SENAFRONT has established departure points in non-populated parts of Guna Yala so migrants can make their way south.
“For example, the old airport in Ustupu, where no one lives, was used so that from there, the boats can go to La Miel, because we understand that traveling 111 nautical miles is not easy for any boat that does cabotage services between islands,” he said.
