Sixteen Pulled From the Pacific Off Baja California as the Search Goes On for Eleven

Sixteen Pulled From the Pacific Off Baja California as the Search Goes On for Eleven

A 1 a.m. Mayday, Then Only People in the Water

The U.S. Coast Guard says it rescued 16 people from the Pacific Ocean off Mexico's Baja California coast early Friday after a mayday call reported a boat was sinking. Crews arrived about 140 miles (225 kilometers) west of Ensenada to find people floating in the water and no vessel — only debris. Eleven other people are still considered missing.

A Survivor Says 27 Were Aboard

Petty Officer Chris Sappey said one of those rescued reported that as many as 27 people had been on board, and the distress call itself reported 27 people overboard. The survivors were flown by helicopter to hospitals in San Diego. Ensenada sits about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of San Diego by road.

Coast Guard: The Boat Took a Smuggling Route

Capt. Robert Tucker, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Diego, said in a statement that the case "highlights the extreme dangers of taking to the sea," noting the vessel had a large number of people aboard and was following a route normally used in illegal maritime smuggling operations. "Offshore conditions are unforgivable and can quickly result in death," he said. A San Diego city spokesperson, José Ysea, confirmed to NBC 7 San Diego that the boat was involved in human smuggling. The Associated Press reported, however, that the boat's origin, destination and purpose were unclear, and the area is also popular with fishing and leisure craft.

One Suspected Shark Bite, Two in Critical Condition

San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Brian Raines said at a news conference that all 16 rescued were taken to hospitals. Three went to Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, including the person with a suspected shark bite and two treated for cold exposure, hospital spokesperson Janice Collins said; three others were evaluated at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and discharged. Two people were in critical condition, authorities said.

Two Navies, Aircraft and Ships Join the Search

The Coast Guard and U.S. Navy searched with two helicopters, a fixed-wing plane, a cutter and a Navy combat ship, while the Mexican Navy launched an operation from Ensenada. According to Coast Guard information cited by Stars and Stripes, the assets included crews from Air Station Ventura and Air Station Sacramento, Coast Guard Cutter Active, USS Kingsville and a Navy helicopter.

A Helicopter Arrived About Two Hours Later

Coast Guard Lt. Santiago Tamburini told Al Jazeera that a rescue helicopter reached the scene about two hours after the mayday call, and that it took the crew — including a rescue swimmer — about 90 minutes to pull the 16 people from the water.

A Route With a Record of Deadly Capsizes

The AP and The Independent noted that such crossings have repeatedly ended in disaster: in May 2025, at least three people died when a boat flipped about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of the U.S.-Mexico border; in 2023, eight people were killed when two boats approached a San Diego beach in heavy fog and one capsized in the surf; and in 2022 a San Diego man was sentenced to 18 years for piloting an overloaded boat carrying 32 migrants that broke apart in the surf, killing three people and injuring more than two dozen.

Winds and Seas Typical for the Area

National Weather Service meteorologist Jonathan Suk in San Diego said conditions at 1 a.m. Friday were windy but fairly typical: winds out of the north and northwest at about 10 knots (18.5 kilometers per hour) and waves of 5 feet (1.5 meters) at a buoy north of Ensenada.

Consular Checks Under Way

The Mexican consulate said those rescued were Mexican nationals, according to the AP, while the Coast Guard statement said two of the 16 were confirmed Mexican nationals. The survivors were taken to San Diego hospitals as consular and family checks continued.

What Comes Next: A 3,200-Square-Kilometer Search

The CBC reported the search covered roughly 3,200 square kilometers and would continue overnight. "As long as we think it's viable, we will continue to search," Tucker told the AP. No vessel has been found, and neither the cause of the sinking nor the exact number of people in the water has been established.