Authorities said At least 8 people were dead and a search was underway for the missing Sunday after a suspected smuggling operation ended in tragedy off a San Diego beach.
Near Blacks Beach a coast guard cutter was combing the area.and official hoped to use helicopters when weather improves the coast guard said.
Monica munoz San Diego fire – rescue spokesperson said in a statement the department communications center received a 911 call at about 11:30 p.m.Saturday from a woman who said she was on a panga boat with 15 people abroad that made it to the shore at Blacks Beach.
Thw caller said another panga – relatively small fishing boats with outboard motors often used for smuggling operations – had capsized and people were in the water ,Munoz said. It was unclear how many people were on that boat – boat – Munoz said the women said eight.coastguard pitty officer Richard Braham said the woman had said 15 “but that was just an estimate”.
San Diego told the Same Diego union tribune the women told Dispatchers her boat had travelled from maxico.
Life guard teams,unable to immediately access the beach because of high tide,waded through water upto waiste deep before reaching two over turned pangas with debris and bodies scattered over 400 yards off beach and surf According to Munoz.