At least 11 people are still missing and rescue operations are underway.
Published on October 17, 2026
The US Coast Guard said it rescued 16 people in the Pacific Ocean after a boat capsized off the Mexican coast of Baja California.
The Coast Guard said Friday it responded to a Mayday call reporting a boat was sinking. The search continues to find 11 people who are still missing.
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The boat sank about 225 km (140 miles) west of Ensenada, Mexico.
A rescue helicopter reached the site about two hours after someone on the boat transmitted the Mayday call around 1 a.m. (0800 GMT) Friday, coast guard Lt. Santiago Tamburini said.
It took the Coast Guard crew, which included a rescue swimmer, about 90 minutes to pull all 16 people from the water, Tamburini said.
The people rescued were Mexican nationals, according to the Mexican consulate.
One survivor was being treated for a suspected shark bite and two were in critical condition, authorities said.
Those rescued were flown by helicopter to San Diego, California, and transported to hospitals. The Mexican consulate in San Diego said it was offering consular assistance.
The Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy continue to search the area with two helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft, a cutter and a Navy gunship.
The boat sank in an area frequented by smugglers transporting migrants to the United States. It is also popular with fishing and leisure boats.
Details about the origin, destination and what he was doing are unclear. No vessel, only debris, was found, and it was unclear what type of boat was involved, the Coast Guard said.
“The boats in this area may be for fishing, recreation or personal recreation. We just don’t know what they were doing there. We all know it’s a suspected smuggling route,” Tamburini said.
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