1 dead, 10 hospitalized after suspected smuggling boat capsizes off San Diego coast
SAN DIEGO (KSWB) — One person is dead and at least 10 people were hospitalized after a suspected smuggling boat capsized off the San Diego coast Thursday morning, NewsNation affiliate KSWB confirmed.
Several people were pulled from the water during the rescue operation. First responders were off the coast in La Jolla, where eight people reportedly jumped from a panga just after 5:30 a.m. and started swimming toward shore.
Of the 10 people rescued from the water, eight were taken to four area hospitals.
Lifeguards say 15-18 people were in the panga, which kept going north and ended up at Children’s Pool.
San Diego lifeguards, firefighters, the U.S. Coast Guard and Border Patrol were responding to the incident.
Earlier this month, three people were killed and more than two dozen others were rescued after a boat overturned and broke apart off the coast of Point Loma in a suspected smuggling operation.
Editor’s note: A lifeguard spokesperson originally told KSWB that 11 people were taken to the hospital.
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