Authorities say at least three people have been killed and nine are missing after a panga boat suspected of being washed near the San Diego area on May 5th.
Crews responded to reports of a coastal vessel in Torrey Pines Beach off Del Mar at 6:30am local time, officials told KABC-TV.
When authorities arrived, they found three bodies and took four survivors to a community hospital where they had various injuries, Jorge Sanchez, vice-chief of the Encinitas Fire Station, told NBC News and KSWB-TV. The U.S. Coast Guard said nine other people remained unrecorded.
A person from the Panga Boat, a small, open, outdoor athletic boat, said 18 people were on board the rescuers. Sanchez said it was not immediately clear how many people were still short of them or whether they made it safely on the beach by themselves.
“So we upgraded this to a major medical response due to the number of potential casualties on the beach on this boat,” Sanchez told reporters on the scene. “We do our due diligence by checking if there’s anyone else in the water.”
When asked if this was a suspected maritime human smuggling event, Sanchez told reporters it was unconfirmed at the time. In March 2023, at least eight people died from bodies after two immigrant smuggling boats believed to be panga ships, and overturned a San Diego beach on suspicion of human smuggling operations, authorities said.
A border protection spokesman said hundreds of maritime smuggling incidents occur every year, and tragedy is one of the deadliest in the United States.
In the May 5 incident, KSWB-TV reported that a San Diego Fire Station helicopter was conducting an aerial sweeping of the area where the boat landed in search of other potential victims underwater. Lifeguards also searched boat and jet ski coastlines.
Details about where the boat came from and who was on the board were not immediately available. KNBC-TV reports that Coast Guard, the San Diego Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Border Patrol officials are investigating the scene.
What is a Panga Boat?
Panga boats are typically used at 18 to 30 feet long, typically used for a variety of activities, including small boat rides, fishing and hauling cargo, according to Panga Sports, a boat building business based in Woodbury, Tennessee.
Panga boats do not have cabins or decks, and their name comes from Panga Fish, which is generally net. The bow on a boat is similar to a machete or knife called a panga. Authorities say the boats are also used to smuggle humans, and usually come from Latin American countries that try to enter the United States.
Panga Sports said that Panga boats are “known for their reliability and efficiency in water.” The container is often recognized by its unique hull design, consisting of a sharp bow and a flat bottom, providing great stability and agility in a variety of marine conditions, Pangasport said.
“Panga’s load capacity can range widely depending on size and design. Many of these ships can hold multiple passengers and hundreds of pounds of gear and cargo,” the PangaSports description states. “They usually have plenty of deck space, meaning that the crew and gear can move around easily. They are particularly attractive for fishing operations as they greatly increase productivity due to gear access and excellent mobility.”
This is a developing story. Please check for updates.