3 hours ago
Last Updated:May 06, 2025, 07:14 IST
Authorities suspect victims of the boat tragedy were migrants. They were not tourists, a Coast Guard Petty Officer said
Pangas are open boats designed for fishing but commonly used by smugglers.
A small boat overturned early Monday in high surf off San Diego’s coast, leaving three people dead, four injured and nine others missing including two children from India.
US Coast Guard vessels and helicopters have been roped into search operations while other agencies including California State Parks, Del Mar Lifeguards, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, and US Border Patrol were also involved in the aftermath of tragedy.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco confirmed the report of two children missing while their parents were getting treatment at the hospital.
We are very sad to know about the tragic incident of a boat capsizing near Torrey Pines State Beach, off the coast near San Diego, California, this morning. As per available information, three people died, nine went missing, and four were injured in the incident. An Indian…— India in SF (@CGISFO) May 5, 2025
Hikers and others at Torrey Pines State Beach reported seeing a boat capsize near the shore at about 6:30 am, said Lt. Nick Backouris of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.
“A doctor hiking nearby called in and said, I see people doing CPR on the beach, I’m running that way,’" Backouris said.
Coast Guard officials said they did not know where the 12-foot (3.6-meter) boat was coming from before it flipped.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Chris Sappey suspected that the victims of the boat tragedy were migrants. “They were not tourists. They are believed to be migrants. Vessels coming up in the past have, under similar circumstances, been migrants," he said.
However, Sappey did not confirm the immigration status of the passengers.
Pangas are open boats designed for fishing but commonly used by smugglers.
The incident has the “potential to be a mass casualty event," depending on the status of the nine missing, Encinitas Deputy Fire Chief Jorge Sanchez said.
A total of 17 life jackets were found, but it’s unclear exactly how many people were on the capsized panga-style boat, California State Parks told CNN in an email.
A small craft advisory was in effect Monday morning, according to the Weather Service, which noted, “Conditions will be hazardous to small craft."
In 2023, eight people were killed when two migrant smuggling boats approached a San Diego beach amid heavy fog. One boat capsized in the surf, marking one of the deadliest human smuggling operations ever in the US.
(with inputs from agencies)
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Associated Press)Location :San Francisco, California, USA
First Published:News world Two Indian Children Missing In Boat Accident Near San Deigo, 3 Killed
