Tragedy Strikes Migrants as Wooden Vessel Capsizes off San Diego

Sun Nov 16 2025 05:48:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A wooden skiff capsized near San Diego, claiming at least four lives as the Coast Guard continues its search for survivors amidst stormy weather conditions. This incident highlights the perilous journey many migrants undertake in search of a better life.

A wooden fishing skiff carrying migrants capsized off Imperial Beach, leaving four people dead and several hospitalized. The U.S. Border Patrol found the vessel amidst stormy weather, a growing trend as migrants seek to cross by sea to evade land border protections and smugglers continue to exploit their desperation. The Coast Guard has vowed to continue the search for any remaining persons missing from the incident.

A wooden skiff believed to have carried migrants capsized in stormy seas near San Diego, resulting in at least four confirmed deaths and four individuals hospitalized, according to the Coast Guard on Saturday.

The U.S. Border Patrol discovered the vessel near Imperial Beach late Friday night. Six people were located on the beach shortly before midnight—one was pronounced dead while another was rescued from beneath the overturned boat.

Approximately two hours later, a report was received regarding someone in the water near the Imperial Beach Pier. Coast Guard crews responded, finding three deceased individuals in the ocean.

Search efforts continue as the Coast Guard actively seeks any remaining individuals who may have been on board the capsized vessel.

Survivors reported mixed nationalities, including claims of Mexican nationality, with one person handed over to the Department of Homeland Security for processing.

Coast Guard Captain Robert Tucker, Sector San Diego commander, emphasized the risks migrants face when attempting to enter the United States via the sea in precarious vessels during such hazardous weather conditions.

A powerful storm system had recently struck Southern California, prompting warnings for flash floods and mudslides. The vessel involved was categorized as a panga, a type of open fishing boat commonly associated with smuggling operations.

As immigration pressures mount, increasingly desperate migrants are resorting to perilous sea travel to bypass fortified land borders, often relying on smugglers. Pangas are frequently launched from Mexico during the night and may travel several hundred miles northward.

The recent tragedy adds to a series of incidents involving migrant vessels capsizing en route to California. In May, three individuals perished when another panga capsized approximately 35 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. Additionally, earlier this year, eight people were killed when two boats approached a San Diego beach amidst dense fog, resulting in one vessel capsizing in the surf, marking one of the deadliest maritime smuggling events in the area.

With the continuing crisis, the U.N. reports that nearly 9,000 individuals died in 2022 while attempting to cross borders globally. The distressing data highlights a growing pattern where the number of migrant deaths continues to rise each year.