U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations agents interdicted a panga-style vessel carrying 21 aliens near San Clemente Island.
The Long Beach Marine Unit launched a vessel following a report of a panga near the back side of San Clemente Island. The San Diego Air and Marine Branch deployed an aircraft to locate the vessel. The aircraft crew located the panga and vectored the Long Beach Marine Unit vessel to the location.
The crew initiated a small boat interdiction and deployed two warning shots to stop the vessel. Agents took control of the panga and the 21 subjects on board, which included one female and one juvenile.
During the interdiction, an adult male subject presented symptoms of acute cardiac arrest. Marine agents and U.S. Coast Guard personnel immediately performed CPR and coordinated a medical evacuation via a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. The helicopter transported the subject to UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Los Angeles, where medical staff pronounced the subject deceased. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the incident.
“Unscrupulous smugglers prioritize profit over human life, forcing individuals onto unseaworthy vessels in treacherous waters,” said San Diego Air and Marine Branch Assistant Director Levi Ahrens. “These criminal networks frequently intermingle dangerous subjects with those attempting to enter the country illegally, placing both the subjects and our agents in grave danger.”
The original announcement can be found here.
