At least three people died and four others were injured when a small boat capsized off the coast of San Diego.
Nine people remain unaccounted for.
The vessel, a panga-style fishing boat, flipped near Torrey Pines State Beach with at least 16 people on board, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Witnesses reported seeing a boat capsize near the shore in Del Mar, about 20 miles north of San Diego, around 6:30 a.m., Lt. Nick Backouris of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office told the Associated Press.
Four people were taken to local hospitals — three in mild-to-moderate condition and one in critical condition, according to NBC San Diego.
The USCG is treating the issue as a suspected human smuggling incident, CBS News reported Monday afternoon. However, the Coast Guard also said it was unclear where the boat originated.
Local officials said it was too early to make a declaration about the victims’ immigration status.
The SDCSO is assisting in the search for the missing boaters, along with local and federal agencies.
Photos of the scene showed a slender, empty boat with a single, damaged outboard motor and more than a dozen life jackets.
Jorge Sanchez, deputy chief with the Encinitas Fire Department, said multiple people were found on the beach — and characterized it as a “mass casualty incident.”
He said helicopters are searching the area, lifeguards are searching with boats and jet skis, and others are searching the shoreline in case anyone was missed.
“We’re just doing our due diligence by checking if there’s anybody else in the waters,” Sanchez said.
