At least four people were killed and 25 others injured when an alleged smuggling boat overturned. The “severely overcrowded” boat overturned Sunday morning off the coast of San Diego. “Every indication from our perspective was this was a smuggling vessel,” Jeff Stephenson, supervisor and border patrol agent in the San Diego sector of US Customs and Border Patrol told CNN.
Four people were declared dead by local emergency services and 25 injured, including one in critical condition were taken to the hospital.
Rick Romero, a lifeguard lieutenant with the city of San Diego, said there were a “wide variety of injuries,” including hypothermia. Officials haven’t revealed where the boat originated from or the nationalities of those on board. There was no way to know the number of people on the board since there was no manifest. Rough conditions— 5-6 feet waves, and wind could have caused the boat to capsize.
“The smugglers don't care about the people they are exploiting,” Stephenson said. He also said the boat larger than an open-bow panga that is usually used for illegally bringing people into the US. Items from the boat sit on a cliff at Cabrillo National Monument.
