A boat with at least 18 migrants sank early Monday morning off the coast of San Diego, leaving a preliminary toll of three people dead, four injured, and at least nine missing, according to local authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard. The incident occurred around 6:30 AM, north of Torrey Pines State Beach, where a large search and rescue operation was deployed with helicopters and boats.
Although the nationality of the victims has not been confirmed, authorities believe they are migrants attempting to enter the United States irregularly from some point on the coast of Baja California, taking advantage of the darkness of night and the moderate waves. The boat had a damaged engine and was a wooden vessel more than six meters long, with worn blue paint and planks for seats.
Boatswain Chris Sappey, a Coast Guard spokesperson, mentioned that this is a boat suspected of smuggling migrants, not drugs, according to a survivor of the shipwreck who indicated that there were 18 people on board at the time of the accident.
Weather and sea conditions, with waves up to 1.8 meters and water temperatures of approximately 17°C, may have been decisive in the sinking, making survival without proper equipment difficult. Three bodies were found lifeless on the beach, while four people were rescued alive and taken to local hospitals. Life jackets, water bottles, a pair of sneakers, and an empty waterproof bag for a cell phone were found on the boat.
The Coast Guard continues the search operation and has requested the cooperation of citizens to report any findings or clues related to the shipwreck.
