24 rescued from overloaded boat

By UNION-TRIBUNE
Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 10:38 p.m.

SAN DIEGO — Twenty-four suspected illegal immigrants were rescued Thursday night from an overloaded boat about four miles southwest of Point Loma, authorities said.

Coast Guard officials assisted the people on the 20-foot boat, which was in distress. The suspected illegal immigrants were turned over to Customs and Border Protection agents for processing.

“Attempts to smuggle illegal immigrants are often made on vessels that are overloaded and carry minimal survival equipment,â€