Captain of suspected smuggling boat in custody after vessel capsizes, killing at least 3 off San Diego coast
The captain of an overcrowded boat that capsized off the San Diego coast has been taken into custody as authorities suspect the vessel was being used in a human smuggling attempt when it crashed into a reef Sunday morning, killing at least three people and hurting more than two dozen others.
U.S. Border Patrol described the unidentified captain as a “suspected smuggler,” but it has not immediately disclosed what kind of charges the person may face. The suspect was one of at least 27 people who were taken to area hospitals after the incident.
The exact number of deaths was still unclear Monday. The U.S. Coast Guard said four people were killed, but the local coroner’s office could only confirm three deaths, including two women, ages 35 and 41, and a man of unknown age. At least one of the survivors was in critical condition, authorities said.
The 40-foot trawler-style boat was sailing near Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma when it hit a reef and capsized on the rocks, according to officials. The small vessel then broke apart and 30 people were thrown into the water, they said.
Firefighters, Coast Guard boats, a Border Patrol helicopter and many volunteers were involved in the massive rescue effort. Some of the passengers made it to the shore on their own, but others drowned or got caught in the rip current, San Diego Lifeguard Services Lt. Rick Romero told reporters.
“Once we arrived on scene, the boat had basically been broken apart,” he said. “Conditions were pretty rough: 5 to 6 feet of surf, windy, cold.”
Authorities were still trying to confirm the nationalities and ages of those involved in the crash, but border officials believe the group was trying to enter the U.S. illegally.
“Every indication from our perspective was this was a smuggling vessel,” Jeff Stephenson, a Border Patrol supervising agent, said at a news conference Sunday.
The incident comes just three days after immigration officials intercepted another small boat off the coast of Point Loma and arrested everyone on board. The wooden “panga” vessel was carrying 21 Mexican nationals in a suspected smuggling operation, according to a Border Patrol news release.
“As a constant reminder to the public, if you see something out of the ordinary near the coast, don’t hesitate to call authorities,” Aaron Heitke, chief patrol agent for the San Diego sector, said in a statement.
“These vessels are dangerously overloaded and unsafe in the ever-changing ocean conditions,” he said. “Smugglers exploit migrants and put lives in significant danger for their own profit.”
With News Wire Service
