At the very least seven of eight individuals killed when two boats capsized in shallow however turbulent surf off the San Diego coast have been Mexican migrants, Mexican officers stated Monday.
Preliminary identification was based mostly on information discovered with individuals’s our bodies once they have been recovered, the Mexican consulate in San Diego stated in a information launch. The nationality of the eighth individual was unknown.
The consulate didn’t present ages, genders or different details about the individuals killed in one of many deadliest maritime migrant smuggling operations off U.S. waters. Rescue authorities have stated all have been adults.
A Spanish-speaking lady who known as 911 stated she was amongst eight individuals on a vessel that reached shore and that 15 individuals have been on one other boat that overturned. Authorities discovered two capsized boats in shallow water amid thick fog late Saturday.
The Coast Guard suspended its seek for stays on Sunday. Survivors might have escaped on land, together with the lady who known as 911. Authorities didn’t know her whereabouts.
The Border Patrol stories tons of of recognized smuggling makes an attempt annually on the California coast. Carlos González Gutiérrez, Mexico’s consul basic in San Diego, on Monday warned in opposition to the perilous journey.
“Individuals planning to cross the border into america, both by land or sea, ought to know that human smugglers will benefit from their want with a view to acquire illicit cash, distorting actuality, creating false expectations, and exposing them to high-risk circumstances the place they might lose their lives,” he stated.