Two Mexican Nationals Charged After Trying To Smuggle Migrants Into U.S. In Panga

Two Mexican nationals face federal smuggling charges after a GPS mishap caused their panga to be dead in the water.

Fox 5 reported that the vessel was carrying nine migrants when to U.S. Coast Guard encountered it floating 12 miles due west of Point Loma, California, around midnight on Sunday.

The vessel had no navigation lights and was described by officials as being "dead in the water," according to Fox 5.

The passengers had been charged between $6,000 and $14,000, according to the website Border Report. One passenger from China was reportedly charged $50,000.

According to Fox 5 the passengers included five citizens of Romania, one from China, and three from Mexico. One of the passengers described a harrowing journey, noting that he feared the boat would capsize and thought he might die.

Boat operator Noe Gastelum Ruelas reportedly told authorities that he and the boat's copilot lost track of their destination, saying he "did not know what happened to the GPS," according to Border Report.

Fox 5 reported that Noe Talamante Patron was identified as the copilot by passengers. The two men now face charges of attempting to bring in illegal aliens for profit and aiding and abetting.