Coast Guard Rescues 17 Suspected Migrants in San Diego

POSTED BY HOA QUACH ON APRIL 12, 2016



Federal mariners and aircraft personnel rescued 17 suspected illegal migrants from a broken-down motorboat adrift in the ocean off the coast of San Diego early Tuesday.


Shortly before 5 a.m., the crew of the 87-foot U.S. Coast Guard cutter Sea Otter spotted a flare in the sky while on patrol west of Point Loma and diverted to investigate, according to USCG public affairs.


Roughly 45 minutes later, the Coast Guard Sector San Diego Joint Harbor Operations Center received a relayed 911 call from a man who said he was aboard a disabled small boat whose occupants had fired off the distress signal.


Two helicopters, one with the Coast Guard and the other with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, searched the seas in the area, locating the drifting vessel some eight miles west of Pacific Beach, officials said.


At 8:15 a.m., the crew of the Sea Otter intercepted the skiff and safely rescued the occupants. The migrants were transported to Shelter Island, where they were taken into custody by the Marine Task Force.


The group was then sent to a local U.S. Border Patrol station to be checked for citizenship status.

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