Migration through Panama's perilous Darien Gap hits all-time high

FILE PHOTO: A group of migrants from different countries walk through the Darien Gap, as they continue their journey to the U.S. border, in Acandi, Colombia July 9, 2023. REUTERS/Adri Salido/File Photo

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - The number of people crossing the treacherous Darien Gap linking Panama and Colombia hit an all-time high in the first seven months of the year, figures released on Monday showed, with July seeing a sharp jump despite recent efforts to curb the trend.

Official data showed 248,901 people walked through the jungle area between January and July, already surpassing the record of 248,284 recorded for the whole of 2022, with most aiming to reach the United States, according to data from Panama's Security Ministry.