IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) — New court documents are shedding light on the chaotic moments when a boat capsized off the Imperial Beach coast early Saturday morning, killing four people in what authorities say was a human smuggling operation.
Two people are now charged in connection with the deadly incident, including the suspected boat captain who was piloting the vessel during the fatal voyage.
The tragedy unfolded in the middle of the night during a storm when Border Patrol agents spotted an overturned panga boat in the water off Imperial Beach. Four people lost their lives, while five others survived the ordeal and are now in custody.
According to the Department of Justice, one man became trapped inside the cabin below deck when the boat overturned, but found a pocket of air that allowed him to survive. Border Patrol agents flipped the boat over, and he made it safely to shore.
Among the survivors was an 89-year-old man who authorities say reluctantly agreed to go on the journey with his granddaughter. The Chief Patrol Agent for the San Diego Sector, Justin De La Torre, described the dramatic rescue efforts.
"Our agents acting heroically went into the water and were able to flip the vessel back over and rescued an 89-year-old man who was trapped underneath the vessel," De La Torre said.
Court documents reveal the boat began experiencing engine problems, leading to an argument between two people on board about how to fix the issue. During this dispute, a large wave capsized the vessel.
Court documents show several surviving passengers admitted to paying between $13,000 and $16,000 to be smuggled into the United States.
"They charge them over $15,000 a person to be smuggled into the United States, and they're promised safe passage, and in this case, only to find that 4 of them did not survive," De La Torre said.
The suspected boat captain now faces several smuggling-related charges. A passenger who was aboard the vessel is charged with illegal re-entry into the United States after being previously deported.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
