A wooden skiff, believed to have been carrying migrants toward the United States, capsized in tumultuous seas near San Diego, resulting in at least four fatalities and leaving four individuals hospitalized, according to the Coast Guard's report on Saturday.
The U.S. Border Patrol discovered the vessel in the surf off Imperial Beach late Friday night. Six individuals were located on the beach just before midnight; one was pronounced dead, while another was rescued after being found trapped beneath the boat.
Approximately two hours later, authorities received a report regarding a person seen in the water near Imperial Beach Pier. A Coast Guard crew responded to the scene and found three deceased individuals in the ocean.
The Coast Guard announced on Saturday that efforts to locate any remaining individuals who may have been on board the capsized vessel were ongoing. Some of the survivors identified themselves as having Mexican nationality, while others remained unidentified. One survivor was handed over to the Department of Homeland Security for further examination.
Coast Guard Capt. Robert Tucker, the Sector San Diego commander, emphasized the dangers faced by migrants attempting to enter the United States by sea in precarious vessels, stating, “Our crews and partner agencies responded immediately, but this case demonstrates the severe risks posed to aliens attempting to enter the United States by sea in unstable vessels.”
This tragic incident occurred amidst a powerful storm system that affected Southern California over the weekend, triggering alerts for flash floods and mudslides. The vessel involved was identified as a panga, a type of open fishing boat with either a single or twin engine, commonly utilized by smugglers for transporting migrants.
In recent years, there has been a notable increase in migrants opting for the perilous alternative of traveling by sea to circumvent heavily monitored land borders, particularly along the coast of California. Pangas typically depart from Mexico under the cover of night, often embarking on journeys spanning hundreds of miles northward.
There have been multiple occurrences of migrant vessels capsizing during attempts to reach California. In May, at least three individuals lost their lives when a panga flipped about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of the U.S.-Mexico border. Earlier in 2023, eight people were killed as two migrant smuggling boats approached a San Diego beach in dense fog; one of these boats capsized in the surf, marking one of the deadliest maritime smuggling events off the U.S. coastline.
In a related case, a federal judge sentenced a San Diego man to 18 years in prison in 2022 for piloting an overloaded small vessel carrying 32 migrants that was ultimately wrecked by powerful surf, resulting in three fatalities and injuring over two dozen others.
On a global scale, nearly 9,000 individuals perished last year while attempting to cross international borders, according to the United Nations agency for migration. This figure marked a record death toll for the fifth consecutive year. The U.N. Missing Migrant Project has recorded over 24,506 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean from 2014 to 2024, many of which involve individuals lost at sea. The project highlights that actual numbers may be higher as numerous deaths remain unrecorded.
This tragic situation underscores the ongoing risks associated with migrating by sea and the desperate circumstances that compel individuals to undertake such perilous journeys in search of a better life.
