The search for seven individuals reported missing after a panga-style boat capsized near San Diego has been suspended, the Coast Guard announced on Monday night. The vessel, which encountered trouble in the waters near Del Mar beach, led to a search and rescue operation that ultimately concluded with those on board remaining unaccounted for.
On Monday, survivors of the tragedy informed first responders that there were additional passengers who had not been found, reported the U.S. Coast Guard. Responders initially discovered three deceased individuals and assisted four others in need of medical care. The survivors' testimonies paved the way for the Coast Guard to launch an exhaustive search for the missing.
A collective effort involving Coast Guard Sector San Diego watchstanders, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station San Diego, a 45-foot response boat-medium from Station San Diego, a C-27 Spartan aircraft from Air Station Sacramento, and the Cutter Sea Otter scoured the seas. The teams worked in tandem, covering over 520 square nautical miles and committing close to 28 hours of search operations. Despite these efforts, the fate of the seven remains uncertain as official searches have ceased pending new information.
In their statement, the Coast Guard explained the difficult decision to suspend the search, stressing the extensive nature of the operation and the area covered.
