Lethal Incident Leaves 3 Dead, 9 Missing After Migrant Smuggling Boat Capsizes Near San Diego

A suspected migrant smuggling boat carrying an estimated 18 people capsized on Monday off the coast of Del Mar, in southern California, resulting in at least three confirmed deaths, officials said.

According to Encinitas Deputy Fire Chief Jorge Sanchez, four people aboard the panga-style boat were transported to a nearby hospital, while nine others remain missing. It was unclear how many, if any, made it to shore on their own, Sanchez added.

The incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. near Torrey Pines State Beach, according to NBC 7. Emergency crews responded after reports that three bodies had washed ashore.

A search operation was launched by first responders using helicopters, boats, and jet skis. The Coast Guard said the origin of the boat remains unknown.

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.

Border Patrol has since taken over the investigation, officials confirmed to NBC 7.

"We're just doing our due diligence by checking if there's anybody else in the waters," Sanchez said. "And to this point, I don't have anything else to report, as far as missing or accounted for."

Crossing the U.S.-Mexico border through the water can be lethal

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.

Panga boats—small, open vessels powered by outboard motors—are frequently used by human smugglers to move migrants across the maritime border.

A similar incident took place in 2002 off Imperial Beach, when a panga vessel capsized while smuggling seven adults and an unaccompanied minor into the U.S., killing three people. The captain and co-captain were later sentenced to 54 and 50 months in federal prison, respectively.

One of the deadliest maritime smuggling incidents in recent years occurred in 2023, when eight people died after two panga boats approached a fog-shrouded San Diego beach and one capsized. Then-San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Chief James Gartland called it "one of the worst maritime smuggling tragedies in California history."