Four people were found dead after a small wooden boat likely carrying migrants to the U.S. crashed near San Diego, the Coast Guard said Saturday.
Coast Guard members rescued five people from the wreck, which was reported around 11:40 p.m. Friday near Seacoast Drive in Imperial Beach. Four people were hospitalized, while one was turned over to the Department of Homeland Security, authorities said.
The incident began when six people were found on the beach, including one person under the small overturned boat. Another person was pronounced dead on the beach, according to the Coast Guard.
Shortly afterward, a bystander reported someone in the water near Imperial Beach Pier, just 3 miles north of the Mexican border. The Coast Guard responded to that scene and found three people dead in the water.
“Our crews and partner agencies responded immediately, but this case demonstrates the severe risks posed to aliens attempting to enter the United States by sea in unstable vessels,” said Coast Guard Capt. Robert Tucker.
Multiple survivors said they were Mexican citizens but other remained unidentified, the Coast Guard said. The agency continued searching Saturday for other people who may have been on board the small boat.
A strong storm hit Southern California over the weekend, bringing heavy rains to the usually dry region and churning up the seas. The storm triggered flash flood and mudslide warnings.
With News Wire Services
