3 dead, 9 missing after panga boat capsizes off San Diego coast

A densely-packed "panga"-style boat capsized off the coast of San Diego Monday, leaving three passengers dead, four injured, and nine missing, the Coast Guard announced on X.

The Coast Guard continues to search the waters near Del Mar. A helicopter and rescue boat were called to aid the search. Though additional survivors may still be found, authorities have declared a “mass casualty incident.” Agencies responding to the disaster say they do not know where the vessel was coming from.

All four survivors have been taken to the hospital after being found on shore. Passers-by, including one doctor who had been hiking in the vicinity, administered CPR and called an ambulance.

Authorities reported the boat itself washed ashore at Torrey Pines State Beach, along with several passengers. Though the initial call estimated the number of people on the shore to be eighteen, authorities later revised that number downward.

The boat was a panga-type vessel, a small, open, motorized skiff intended for fishing. The craft has become notorious in recent years for its use by smugglers, including those moving people.

Pangas are popular in that field in part because they are designed to cut through moderately choppy waters, and to right themselves if capsized. This may explain why the craft made it to shore alongside its passengers.

A small craft advisory remains in effect from San Mateo Point to the Mexican border, indicating potentially-hazardous conditions for low-displacement vessels. Winds around ten knots are expected, as well as some larger-than-usual waves.

In addition to the Coast Guard, Del Mar Lifeguards, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Border Patrol, and California State Parks responded.