Panama City, Jul 24 (AP) Ten migrants drowned trying to cross a rushing river in Panama's Darien Gap that borders Colombia, Panamanian authorities said Wednesday.

The National Border Service said in a statement that the victims were swept away by the strong current and their bodies were later seen near the Indigenous community of Carreto.

Also Read | Indian Navy Successfully Evacuates Critically Injured Chinese Mariner From Bulk Carrier Zhong Shan Men off Mumbai Coast (See Pics and Video).

An agency official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case said on condition of anonymity that the drownings were believed to have occurred on July 16, but the area was so remote that they were only now able to release the information.

The prosecutor's office was investigating details, including the victims' nationalities, the official said. More than half of the migrants crossing the Darien come from Venezuela.

Also Read | Captain Manish Shakya: Who Is the Lone Survivor in Nepal Plane Crash?.

More than 500,000 migrants made the treacherous crossing through the jungle-clad border in a record-setting 2023. So far this year, more than 212,000 have entered Panama through the Darien.

It is the rainy season in Panama, making the numerous rivers that migrants have to cross more dangerous.

New Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has pledged to stop migration through the Darien with assistance from the U.S. government. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)