Tragedy at sea: at least 8 dead in a shipwreck off the coast of San Diego

Two boats capsized on the high seas. They think they were smugglers. There are 7 missing.

At least eight people have died after two boats, believed to belong to a smuggling gang, capsized in the Pacific off the US city of San Diego.

The fatal accident occurred on Saturday night, and this Sunday morning the rescue forces continued their tasks on the high seas in search of seven other people, who were also in the boats and remain missing.

San Diego firefighters said rescuers managed to pull eight bodies from the waters off Blacks Beach late Saturday, but heavy fog hampered the search overnight.

One of the boats that capsized off the coast of San Diego.

On Sunday, firefighters and Coast Guard vessels were scanning the waters in the area for more victims.

Daniel Eddy, deputy director of operations for the San Diego Fire and Rescue Department, said there was a large debris field in Black’s Beach, which is jointly owned by San Diego and the state. The location is also known as Torrey Pines City Beach or Torrey Pines State Beach.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Eddie Berrios confirmed that eight people were dead and that rescuers were looking for at least seven more.

The officer said he did not know what kind of boats they were, but commented that panga-type boats usually arrive at the place, a name given to small flat-bottomed boats widely used for fishing in Central American countries.

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