SAN DIEGO (AP) — Federal officials on Monday charged a man believed to be the captain of a boat carrying migrants that capsized near San Diego, killing four passengers. The man, a Mexican national, was charged with two counts of bringing people into the country illegally.
U.S. Border Patrol agents were notified at about 11:30 p.m. Friday of a small boat crossing the maritime boundary between Mexico and the U.S. The Border Patrol found the wooden skiff in the surf off Imperial Beach after it had overturned in high waves. Six people were found on the beach shortly before midnight, with one pronounced dead and another rescued after being discovered trapped beneath the vessel.
Two hours later, a report brought authorities to the water near Imperial Beach Pier, where Coast Guard crews located three additional deceased individuals in the ocean. The five survivors were transported to a hospital for treatment.
According to official complaints, some passengers reported engine failures prior to the capsizing, urging the captain to turn back to Mexico, which he refused to do. Witness accounts detail chaos as one man was trapped inside the cabin below deck when the vessel overturned with him and several others inside. He was subsequently freed when Border Patrol agents flipped the boat over; another individual sustained injuries after being trapped under the hull.
The suspected captain faces significant penalties if convicted, including potential life in prison or even the death penalty. Furthermore, authorities stress the dangers of maritime smuggling, reinforcing their intention to prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent. Another passenger on the boat has also been charged for re-entering the U.S. after being deported, highlighting the increase in risky maritime smuggling attempts amidst stricter land border enforcement. This incident follows a disturbing trend of migrant vessels capsizing on attempts to reach California's shores.
U.S. Border Patrol agents were notified at about 11:30 p.m. Friday of a small boat crossing the maritime boundary between Mexico and the U.S. The Border Patrol found the wooden skiff in the surf off Imperial Beach after it had overturned in high waves. Six people were found on the beach shortly before midnight, with one pronounced dead and another rescued after being discovered trapped beneath the vessel.
Two hours later, a report brought authorities to the water near Imperial Beach Pier, where Coast Guard crews located three additional deceased individuals in the ocean. The five survivors were transported to a hospital for treatment.
According to official complaints, some passengers reported engine failures prior to the capsizing, urging the captain to turn back to Mexico, which he refused to do. Witness accounts detail chaos as one man was trapped inside the cabin below deck when the vessel overturned with him and several others inside. He was subsequently freed when Border Patrol agents flipped the boat over; another individual sustained injuries after being trapped under the hull.
The suspected captain faces significant penalties if convicted, including potential life in prison or even the death penalty. Furthermore, authorities stress the dangers of maritime smuggling, reinforcing their intention to prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent. Another passenger on the boat has also been charged for re-entering the U.S. after being deported, highlighting the increase in risky maritime smuggling attempts amidst stricter land border enforcement. This incident follows a disturbing trend of migrant vessels capsizing on attempts to reach California's shores.
