After a panga-style vessel capsized Friday night off the coast of Imperial Beach, the U.S. Coast Guard, alongside partner agencies, has suspended its search for additional suspected aliens. The suspension was announced Saturday evening after extensive search efforts came to a halt, according to a Coast Guard press release. These efforts included 17 hours of continuous operations, covering 12 square nautical miles and 133 nautical miles of area.
"The Coast Guard extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones affected by this tragic incident," said Capt. Robert Tucker, Coast Guard Sector San Diego commander, in the statement, per the U.S. Coast Guard. He underlined the extreme dangers of attempting to cross the maritime border in unsafe, overloaded vessels and during dangerous weather conditions as a critical concern. The decision to cease active searching will remain in effect pending the development of new information.
Initially, Coast Guard Sector San Diego watchstanders were alerted by Imperial Beach Border Patrol of the capsizing at approximately 11:40 PM last Friday. Shortly after, The Coast Guard was informed of six individuals on the beach, one of whom was pronounced deceased by EMS, and another was rescued from beneath the capsized vessel. Later, three more individuals were recovered from the waters near Imperial Beach Pier, and all were pronounced deceased by the local EMS. In the aftermath, four survivors were transported to a hospital, and the Department of Homeland Security took one individual into custody. Some of the suspected aliens claimed Mexican nationality, but the identities of the others remain unclear, as reported by an earlier Coast Guard statement.
In total, the incident claimed four lives and led to multiple individuals requiring hospitalization. The search and rescue operations involved various agencies and Coast Guard units, from Sector San Diego to Air Station San Diego and the Cutter Petrel, as well as local lifeguards and fire departments. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego Marine Task Force has taken the lead in the ongoing investigation. They will be presenting criminal charges to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California for further prosecution.
