Several individuals with suspected shark bites received treatment after a boat capsized off the Baja California coast, as reported by the US Coast Guard.
On Friday, authorities rescued sixteen Mexican nationals, but there are still 11 individuals unaccounted for, prompting a continuing search.
“Some of the rescued individuals had serious injuries that appeared to be from shark bites, and the Coast Guard provided critical first aid while transporting them to San Diego,” the agency stated on Saturday.
In the meantime, the US Coast Guard and Navy are actively searching the waters with various aircraft and boats, with help from the Mexican Navy. An additional helicopter is expected to join the search efforts later today, according to the Coast Guard.
The incident occurred in an area known for smuggling activity and was outside of US waters. Survivors indicated that there were 27 people on the boat when it overturned.
Petty Officer Charlie Valor remarked on Saturday, “We were able to assist, and that’s why we mobilized our resources.”
This region is favored by fishing and recreational boats, but there’s a history of deadly incidents involving migrants trying to reach the US.
The Mexican consulate in San Diego confirmed that all the rescued individuals were Mexican nationals. The Coast Guard noted that Customs and Border Protection is investigating and interviewing survivors, but they haven’t provided any immediate updates.
If the survivors witnessed criminal activity, they might qualify for humanitarian parole, allowing them a temporary stay in the country.
Rescue operations are underway, involving helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft, a cutter, and a Navy combat ship.
Mayday call around 1 a.m.
A mayday call came from the boat just after 1 a.m. on Friday, Coast Guard Lt. Santiago Tamburini reported. A rescue helicopter arrived at the scene about two hours later.
It took around 90 minutes for the crew, which included a rescue swimmer, to retrieve the 16 individuals from the water, Tamburini added.
The boat sank approximately 140 miles west of Ensenada, Mexico. In recent years, there have been several instances of migrant vessels capsizing on their way to California.
For instance, in May 2025, at least three people lost their lives when a boat overturned roughly 35 miles north of the US-Mexico border.
In 2023, eight individuals were killed in one of the deadliest smuggling accidents on the coast, when two boats approached a San Diego beach in heavy fog, resulting in one capsizing in the surf.
