Coast Guard interdicted a vessel with 16 aliens aboard approximately 15 miles off the coast of Mission Bay, Sunday morning.
At approximately 12 a.m., U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Active notified Joint Harbor Operations Center of a 25-foot panga-style with around 15-20 people aboard approximately 1 mile south of their position.
The cutter Active and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations boatcrew then launched boarding teams to assess.
The Coast Guard boarding team discovered 16 aliens aboard the panga. Initial interviews revealed that all the aliens claimed Mexican nationality.
The aliens were safely transferred to U.S. Border Patrol custody.
The Coast Guard remains committed to protecting lives at sea while working alongside our federal partners to combat illicit maritime activities. These operations highlight the coordinated efforts between agencies to secure our maritime borders.
The original announcement can be found here.