tragic maritime accident off the coast of Southern California has left at least three people dead and 11 others missing after a small vessel, believed to be a panga boat, capsized early Monday near Torrey Pines State Beach, approximately 20 miles north of San Diego.

According to the San Diego Sheriff's Department, the 12-foot (3.7-meter) boat overturned at around 6:30 a.m. local time (1330 GMT). Of the estimated 18 people aboard, only four survivors were rescued and transported to a local hospital, while rescue crews continue to search for the missing.

Emergency responders, including the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and multiple local agencies, have launched an intensive rescue and recovery operation along the coastline.

“Deputies are assisting the @USCG with providing life-saving measures related to a maritime event on the beach,” the sheriff's office said in a statement on the social media platform X.

A panga is a narrow, open fishing vessel commonly used in Central America. Its presence off the California coast has raised speculation that the incident may be connected to maritime smuggling operations, although authorities emphasized it is too early to determine the legal or immigration status of those aboard.

Officials from the Encinitas Fire Department reported that several doctors who happened to be passing by stopped to assist at the scene, helping to perform CPR on survivors.

As of Monday afternoon, search efforts remain active, with officials warning that the number of fatalities could rise. The incident adds to a series of recent maritime tragedies along the U.S.-Mexico border, where increasingly dangerous sea routes are being used for unauthorized crossings.

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.

Copied