Migrants Die After Smuggling Boats Collide Near San Diego
A collision between two boats carrying migrants in California waters led to at least eight deaths over the weekend, according to reports.
The horrifying incident unfolded late Saturday night just north of San Diego.
A woman speaking Spanish called 911 and told operators she had been aboard a vessel that hit another boat, causing both to capsize.
She estimated that eight people had been in one craft and 15 in the other, the LA Times reports.
First responders were dispatched to Black’s Beach in La Jolla where they found two vessels and eight dead bodies during a treacherous rescue operation.
No survivors were located, including the woman who made the emergency call, so it is assumed they absconded.
“After a couple hundred yards, lifeguards on the beach reached dry sand and then began to find lifeless bodies and two overturned pangas spread over an area of about 400 yards,” the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said in a statement.
“Several life jackets and fuel barrels were also found.”
At least eight of about 18 people are dead after their panga boat capsized off the coast of Black’s Beach in San Diego, according to authorities. 9-1-1 received the report from a woman on one of two panga boats who said people were in distress. 📹: @onscenetv pic.twitter.com/sCYYuvJiyL
— Malik Earnest (@MalikEarnest) March 12, 2023
The Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego later confirmed seven of the victims were Mexican citizens. Information about the eighth deceased person is still being sought.
“So far the remains of eight people have been recovered. Based on the identifications that some carried, it is presumed that seven of these people are nationals of Mexico, coming from states in the interior of the Republic. As soon as there is confirmation from the forensic doctor in this regard, it will be made known to their relatives,” the consulate explained in a statement on Monday.
The Southern California coastal region has seen a 771% increase in human smuggling attempts since 2017, Capt. James Spitler, commander of U.S. Coast Guard San Diego Sector, told the press.
This article was originally published by InfoWars.com
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