Eleven people remain missing after a boat capsized off the coast of Mexico, sparking fears for their fate after survivors were reportedly found with horrific injuries consistent with shark bites.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) suspended its search on Sunday, October 18, after rescuers spent more than two days scouring thousands of square miles of ocean for those still unaccounted for.
A total of 27 people were reportedly in the water after the vessel overturned around 140 miles west of Ensenada, off Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, on Friday, October 16.
Sixteen people were rescued from the water and transported to hospitals in San Diego for medical assessment and treatment.
However, the remaining 11 people have not been located, and authorities have now called off the extensive search operation.
Although the circumstances surrounding the missing individuals remain unclear, reports that survivors suffered severe injuries consistent with shark bites have raised further questions about what happened in the hours after the vessel capsized.
Yet, there has been no official confirmation that sharks killed or consumed any of the missing people.
The Coast Guard said its search began after watch standers at Coast Guard Sector San Diego received multiple distress broadcasts at approximately 1am on Friday.
Rescue crews subsequently located debris from the vessel floating in the water, while an aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Ventura managed to pull 16 survivors to safety.
On Sunday the US Coast Guard called off the search for 11 people believed missing, after a boat thought to be carrying more than two dozen people sank off Mexico’s Baja California coast. Source: AP Photo/Denis Poroy
Twenty-seven people fell into the water on Friday, October 16, after a vessel capsized approximately 140 miles west of Ensenada off Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Source: AP Photo/Denis Poroy
The rescued individuals were transferred to various hospitals in San Diego, where they received medical care.
All those rescued were Mexican nationals, the Mexican consulate in San Diego told the news agency.
The US Coast Guard said Customs and Border Protection officials were interviewing survivors as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
The vessel was travelling along what officials described as a route normally used in illegal maritime smuggling operations when it capsized.
Authorities have not publicly established the precise circumstances that led to the boat overturning, or confirmed the intended destination of those on board.
The search covered more than 2,441 square miles of ocean before officials announced that operations had been suspended.
The challenging conditions presented significant obstacles for rescue crews working far offshore.
Captain Joseph Meuse, chief of staff for the Coast Guard Southwest District, said the decision to suspend the search had not been taken lightly.
‘Suspending a search is never easy, and this was an exceptionally dynamic case, far offshore, in rough weather,’ he said.
A distress call went out around 1 am Friday. Source: AP Photo/Denis Poroy
‘We are grateful for the exceptional coordination and assistance from Mexico and the US Navy throughout this challenging operation,’ Captain Meuse added.
However, he issued a stark warning about the dangers associated with suspected human-smuggling operations at sea.
‘We can say with confidence that human traffickers have zero regard for human life and routinely put the lives of illegal aliens and the lives of rescue crews at risk,’ he said.
Several agencies participated in the operation, including Coast Guard Sector San Diego, Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, Coast Guard Air Station Ventura and a US Navy helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23.
The incident is now under federal investigation, according to the Coast Guard’s latest release.
The Coast Guard has not announced any further details about the identities of the missing individuals or whether additional searches will take place.