Four people died and four were hospitalized after a suspected migrant-smuggling panga capsized in heavy surf late Friday off Imperial Beach, San Diego County, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Border Patrol detained one person and search efforts for additional survivors continued into Saturday. Responders rescued several people on the beach and recovered others from the water, three of whom were pronounced dead shortly after recovery. Homeland Security Investigations has taken over the investigation.
Four Dead, Four Hospitalized After Suspected Migrant-Smuggling Panga Capsizes off San Diego
Four people died and four were hospitalized after a suspected migrant-smuggling panga capsized in heavy surf late Friday off Imperial Beach, San Diego County, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Border Patrol detained one person and search efforts for additional survivors continued into Saturday. Responders rescued several people on the beach and recovered others from the water, three of whom were pronounced dead shortly after recovery. Homeland Security Investigations has taken over the investigation.
12:13 PM, 11/16/2025Security
Capsized panga off San Diego leaves four dead, four hurt
The U.S. Coast Guard said four people died and four others were hospitalized after a suspected migrant-smuggling panga-style boat capsized in heavy surf late on Friday off the coast of San Diego.
U.S. Border Patrol notified the Coast Guard at 11:40 p.m. Friday about the overturned vessel near Imperial Beach in San Diego County. The Coast Guard said Border Patrol took one person into custody and that searches for additional survivors continued Saturday.
Emergency responders located several survivors on the beach and freed one person who had been trapped beneath the vessel. Rescuers later recovered three people from the water; those individuals were pronounced dead shortly after being pulled from the surf. In total, four people lost their lives and four were taken to hospitals for treatment.
Panga-style boats are commonly used by smugglers to move migrants by sea from Mexico toward California and can be especially dangerous in Pacific surf conditions. The Coast Guard said several people aboard claimed Mexican nationality, while some occupants remained unidentified.
Investigation: Homeland Security Investigations has assumed control of the probe into the incident.
Location: Off Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California
Time reported to Coast Guard: 11:40 p.m. Friday
Reporting: Mike Stone in Washington; Editing: Sergio Non, Franklin Paul