SAN DIEGO (USA) At least eight people died and another seven are missing after two boats capsized near a beach in San Diego, California late Saturday night. According to local authorities, there is a suspicion that the boats were used because of illegal immigration.
Gregory Bull/AP
Boat and life jackets found on the beach in San Diego, California; Fog halts searches Photo: Gregory Bull/AP
According to US Coast Guard Corporal Richard Brahm, a woman in one of the pangastyle boats — small open boats with outboard engines — called emergency services to report that a ship had capsized Black’s Beach.
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“The witness who called claimed that the capsized boat had 15 people on board, but that’s just an estimate,” Brahm said.
The San Diego Coast Guard and Fire Department pulled eight bodies from the water. Dense fog, however, made it difficult to rescue other victims. The searches continued this Sunday the 12th and authorities waited for the weather to improve for helicopter support.
Lifeguards found “lifeless bodies and two fallen pangas scattered about 400 meters away,” fire department spokeswoman Monica Muñoz said. “Several life jackets and fuel drums were also found.”
“Frequently, these boats are overcrowded and poorly maintained,” said James W. Spitler, Coast Guard sector commander for the Pacific region. He further stated that inclement weather and poor visibility “made it a great challenge for anyone to operate in these conditions”. “You were probably one of the few sailors at sea.”
Daniel Eddy, deputy chief of operations for the San Diego Fire Department, said there was a long swath of debris along the beach. Also known as Torrey Pines City Beach and Torrey Pines State Beach, the sandy beach is jointly owned and operated by the City of San Diego and the State of California.
Coast Guard Corporal Eddie Berrios confirmed eight people had died and crews were searching for at least seven others. He didn’t know what the boats were, but he said the pangas used by illegal immigrants often end up on this beach. There was no information about the arrests and nationality of the passengers. | AP, NYT and WP