Coast Guard Intercepts Boat Attempting To Smuggle Over a Dozen Migrants In San Diego

Over a dozen migrants were intercepted by the Coast Guard while aboard a vessel seeking to enter the U.S. through San Diego.

The episode took place southwest of Point Loma. The boat was initially spotted by a military aircraft, which then gave the Coast Guard the coordinates to intercept it.

Border Report cited authorities saying the interdiction was conducted without incident. Officers saw 16 people who claimed to be Mexican nationals seeking to enter the U.S. They were taken to Border Patrol custody.

Smugglers are increasingly resorting to maritime routes as the Trump administration cracks down on unlawful immigration, beefing up surveillance and patrolling along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Three migrants died and several more went missing in early May after a boat capsized off the coast of California. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she will seek the death penalty for the two alleged smugglers "based on a thorough review of both the Immigration and Naturalization Act and the Federal Death Penalty Act."

"Their deaths were not only avoidable but were also the direct result of the greed and indifference of smugglers who exploited them. Maritime smuggling is not just illegal—it is a violent and inherently dangerous crime. Those who knowingly place human lives at grave risk in furtherance of such crimes must be held fully accountable," Noem said in a statement announcing her intention.

Petty Officer Chris Sappey, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, told NBC News that the boat was suspected of being used for human smuggling, not drug trafficking, and confirmed that at least two children were among those on board.

In a post on X , the U.S. Coast Guard Southern California said that between April 20 and 26 there were seven illegal maritime smuggling attempts involving 41 people near the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Every attempt by sea is extremely dangerous—overloaded boats, freezing waters, and violent surf can turn deadly in seconds. Don't take to the sea," the Coast Guard warned.