A new tragedy shakes the maritime border between Mexico and the United States. This Monday, May 5, 2025, a boat with suspected migrants wrecked in the waters of San Diego County, California, leaving three confirmed dead and nine people missing so far.
As reported by the U.S. Coast Guard, the accident occurred on the Del Mar Coast near Torrey Pines State Beach, an area frequently used by human smugglers for illegal crossings from Baja California.
Rescue operation
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An emergency call was received at approximately 6:30 a.m. local time, alerting authorities to a serious maritime incident off the coast of Southern California.
According to official reports, a panga-type vessel —a small, fast fishing boat often used for clandestine crossings from Mexico to the U.S.— was found overturned near the shoreline, carrying at least 16 individuals on board at the time of the accident.
Pangas, while agile and widely used in commercial and informal fishing, have become increasingly common in unauthorized maritime migration attempts, particularly across the U.S.-Mexico Pacific corridor.
Coast Guard spokeswoman Hunter Schnabel confirmed to local media that four people were rescued alive in the early stages of the operation. The survivors were located in the northern section of the beach, visibly injured and in need of urgent medical assistance. Emergency crews treated them on site before transferring them to nearby medical facilities.
Tragically, three bodies were recovered within the first few hours following the capsizing. Their identities have not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin.
As of Monday morning, the search for the remaining nine passengers remains active and ongoing. The operation includes Coast Guard helicopters, rescue boats, and aerial drones, all working in coordination to comb the surrounding waters.
Authorities have cautioned that cold Pacific Ocean temperatures, strong currents, and low visibility are making the rescue and recovery efforts extremely difficult. The incident underscores the risks and deadly consequences associated with maritime crossings on unsafe vessels.
Increasing risk
This type of accident, in which three migrants died in the waters off San Diego County, California, is not isolated.
The number of maritime crossings along the southern California coast has increased in recent years.
The accident occurred on the Del Mar Coast
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Driven by human trafficking networks that offer fast but dangerous crossings, without minimum security conditions.
Community organizations such as Alliance San Diego have reiterated their calls to address the root causes of irregular migration.
As well as to improve border policies to avoid more unnecessary deaths.
For more information, visit QueOnnda.com.
