hello everyone and welcome back to the rearr channel hundreds of thousands of migrants from Haiti Venezuela and other countries risk their lives each year to cross the Darian Gap a treacherous region between Columbia and Panama images captured along the journey reveal the dangers they [Music] face the Darian Gap presents a formidable obstacle Le on one of the world's most perilous migration routes this remote roadless region at the border of Colombia and Panama spans over 60 Mi of dense rainforest steep mountains and sprawling swamps it serves as the only Overland route connecting Central and South America in recent years it has become a key Transit point for migrants seeking safety and work in the United States as authorities have tightened control over other air and sea routes [Music] however migrants encounter numerous challenges on this Overland Journey northward including hazardous terrain exposure to diseases and violence from Criminal groups as migrant numbers swell over half a million people attempted The Crossing in 2023 the impact on indigenous communities whose lands are often traversed also gross International Aid organizations have intervened by setting up temporary shelters and providing providing essential services to migrants arriving in Panama while the Panamanian government has announced stricter measures to curb the flow of migrants and Asylum Seekers entering the [Music] country economic instability political upheaval violence and climate change are driving tens of millions of people from their home countries according to World Bank experts many migrants ultimately aim for the southern us B order where they hope to seek Asylum however those coming from the Caribbean and South America must first Brave the Darian Gap a 60m wide break in the otherwise continuous Pan-American Highway that stretches from Alaska to the southern tip of [Music] Argentina in 2023 the Panamanian government reported that over 520,000 migrants crossed the Darian gap on their way to the United States more than double the previous year's figures and a stark increase from just a few hundred annually a decade ago around 1/5 of those making the journey were children most migrants came from Venezuela followed by Ecuador and Haiti but some traveled from as far as Angola Bangladesh and [Music] Pakistan upon reaching a candy migrants face a treacherous hike through the Darian Gap jungle a journey that can take 10 days or more many pay local guides known as coyotes to lead them along the Route Smugglers and criminal groups including members of the Revolutionary armed forces of Colombia farc and the gulf Clan Colombia's largest paramilitary group and drug cartel extort and sexually assault migrants the environment itself poses additional challenges the Daran Gap is one of the world's wetest regions and frequent rains can trigger landslides in the mountainous areas temperatures can reach 95° f 35° c with high humidity exacerbating dehydration and hunger the Region's Wildlife including crocodiles and venomous snakes further heightens the dangers migrants face according to Panama's Institute of legal medicine and forensic Sciences more than 60 migrants died while attempting to crossed the Darian Gap in the first 6 months of 2023 though officials estimate the true number is likely much higher [Music]