San Diego
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Published on January 21, 2025
Coast Guard Rescues 26 Migrants Near Oceanside Harbor, Hands Over to U.S. Border PatrolSource: U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Anderson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A routine morning off the coast near Oceanside Harbor turned into an interdiction operation for Coast Guard crews yesterday when they took into custody 26 individuals from a panga-style boat. The vessel was found adrift, roughly a mile from shore, after running out of fuel.

Local lifeguards first noticed the stranded boat and its passengers at around 10:30 a.m. and, noting no imminent danger assessed, they kept watch over the situation while reaching out to the Coast Guard's Joint Harbor Operations Center. The cooperation between the lifeguards and the Coast Guard ensured the situation was managed smoothly.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Cutter Terrell Horne was dispatched to assist. Upon arrival, the crew sent a boarding team to the panga, and all 26 individuals aboard were brought onto the cutter without incident.

Those rescued from the boat came from a variety of nations, including Mexico, China, and Vietnam, revealing the diverse and desperate makeup of this cadre of migrants. They were later handed over to U.S. Border Patrol custody, where they likely face immigration proceedings. The Coast Guard continues to work in tandem with other agencies to address and deter these perilous smuggling operations that threaten human life at sea.