San Francisco's Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team made an interdiction off the coast of Imperial Beach this weekend, encountering a small vessel carrying three individuals identified as aliens. The events unfolded last Saturday, roughly six miles from shore in the waters off California's southern tip, according to a Coast Guard press release.
The maritime drama began at approximately 4 PM when the team, patrolling the boundary line, noted a 20-foot boat lacking required navigational lighting. Trying to flee, the vessel complied at first but then made an attempt to escape when the boarding was imminent, the Coast Guard reported.
In response, and as the situation escalated, Coast Guard personnel employed an escalated grade of force, delivering two LA-51 warning shots and unleashing three rounds of pepper ball munitions. This measured response effectively brought the situation under control, allowing the team to board the vessel, according to the U.S. Coast Guard's statement.
Following the boarding and subsequent arrest, two of the aliens claimed Mexican nationality, with the other claiming Turkish nationality, revealing a conflux of journeys on the Pacific's expanse. They were subsequently transferred to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security partners at Ballast Point, further cementing the chain of command and custody that marks such incidents.
