October 18, 2026, 6:23 p.m. ET
SAN DIEGO — Eleven people remained missing Oct. 18 after a boat carrying 27 people capsized off the coast of Baja California, and several survivors suffered injuries related to shark bites, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard Southwest District said Coast Guard Sector San Diego observers received a radio distress call around 1 a.m. local time Oct. 16 reporting a vessel was taking on water about 140 miles west of Ensenada, Mexico. Search teams were deployed to the area and rescued 16 people, who were then transferred to local hospitals for medical evaluation.
Three of those rescued “suffered sustained injuries consistent with shark bites” after the boat, which was leaving Mexico, capsized, the Coast Guard said in a statement to USA TODAY. The agency had no updated information on the health of the survivors as of October 18.
“Coast Guard personnel provided first aid during transport to San Diego, where all 16 individuals were transferred to waiting emergency medical services personnel for further evaluation and treatment at local hospitals,” the agency said in the release.
Coast Guard reports “indicated there may be 27 people on board,” according to the agency. The Mexican consulate in San Diego confirmed that all those rescued were Mexican nationals, the Associated Press reported. USA TODAY reached out to the consulate for comment.
The Coast Guard said search and rescue efforts continued with support from the U.S. Navy and Mexican Navy. No additional people had been found as of October 18, according to the agency.
Debris discovered after boat capsizes off Baja California
The Coast Guard said crews from Air Station Ventura, Air Station Sacramento and the Coast Guard Cutter Active were deployed after the distress call. The USS Kingsville and a Navy helicopter assigned to Helicopter Maritime Combat Squadron 23 also joined the response.
Crews located debris from the ship while searching the area, according to the Coast Guard. Lt. Santiago Tamburini told NBC 7 San Diego that rescuers initially found debris and floating seats believed to be related to the ship after receiving the distress transmission.
“To my knowledge, all we found was some debris and some floating seats that are starting to give us a better idea of what ship it was,” Tamburini said. “We cannot yet confirm whether this vessel was part of this enterprise or whether it was simply a recreational or commercial fishing vessel.”
Brian Raines, deputy fire chief for San Diego Fire and Rescue, told NBC 7 San Diego that about 60 firefighters and medical personnel responded, including 13 ambulances that transported victims to local hospitals.
Latest maritime incident near the Californian coast
Migrant ships have capsized while trying to reach California’s coast in recent years.
“This case highlights the extreme dangers of going to sea,” Coast Guard Capt. Robert Tucker, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Diego, said in a statement. “The vessel had a large number of people on board and was following a route normally used in illegal maritime smuggling operations. The conditions offshore are unforgivable and can quickly lead to death.”
In May 2025, a panga ship carrying migrants capsized in heavy waves near Del Mar, north of San Diego, killing at least four people, including a 14-year-old Indian boy, according to authorities. Her 10-year-old sister was presumed dead after she went missing during the incident.
Authorities later found a human foot near a beach, and DNA analysis identified the remains as those of a 10-year-old child who was aboard the vessel, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. Earlier this year, prosecutors said two boat captains pleaded guilty over the incident.
In March 2023, eight people died after two suspected smuggling boats approached a San Diego beach in thick fog and rough surf conditions. This incident constitutes one of the deadliest maritime smuggling tragedies in the region.
Experts previously told USA TODAY that the risks of such voyages are serious and often involve overcrowded and poorly maintained vessels purposely flown in weather conditions with low visibility to avoid detection.
Contributor: Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY
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