Robert Butler and KC Ivers were photographed preparing to move boats from Blacks Beach in San Diego, Calif., on March 12th, 2023. (Photo by Gregory Bull/AP)
According to Mexican officials, at least seven of the eight people who died when two boats capsized in shallow but turbulent surf off the San Diego coast were Mexican migrants. The Mexican consulate in San Diego released a statement with preliminary identifications, which were based on records found with the bodies when they were recovered. Authorities do not know the nationality of the eighth person.
The consulate did not provide any additional information about the victims, including their ages or genders, only that all of the deceased were adults. The Coast Guard suspended its search for more remains on Sunday, as survivors may have escaped on land.
A woman who called 911 reported that she was one of eight people on a vessel that reached shore, while 15 people were on another boat that overturned. Two capsized boats were found in the shallow water amid thick fog late Saturday.
The California coast sees hundreds of known smuggling attempts each year, and Carlos González Gutiérrez, Mexico’s consul general in San Diego, warned against the dangers of the trip.
“People planning to cross the border into the United States, either by land or sea, should know that human smugglers will take advantage of their need in order to obtain illicit money, distorting reality, creating false expectations, and exposing them to high-risk conditions where they may lose their lives,” he said.