SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it intercepted a panga boat carrying 16 migrants off the coast of Mission Bay early Sunday morning.
According to a press release, a Coast Guard cutter notified the Joint Harbor Operations Center about a 25-foot panga-style vessel with roughly 15 to 20 people on board about 15 miles off the coast of Mission Bay around midnight.
The cutter and a U.S. Customs Border Protection boat crew launched boarding teams to assess the situation.
The Coast Guard says it found 16 migrants, all from Mexico, on board the panga.
The migrants were transferred to Border Patrol custody, per the Coast Guard.
"The Coast Guard remains committed to protecting lives at sea while working alongside our federal partners to combat illicit maritime activities," the press release stated. "These operations highlight the coordinated efforts between agencies to secure our maritime borders."
