Panga boat intercepted off coast of Point Loma, 20 detained

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Federal authorities detained 20 Mexican nationals after a panga boat was stopped off the coast of San Diego.

At around 11:20 p.m. on Jan. 9, authorities spotted a panga boat about a quarter mile west of the Point Loma shoreline. Inside the vessel were 17 males and three females.

The boat occupants were determined to be undocumented migrants and were taken into Border Patrol custody.

Aaron Heitke, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector, said, “As a constant reminder to the public, if you see something out of the ordinary near the coast, don’t hesitate to call authorities. These vessels are dangerously overloaded and unsafe in the ever changing ocean conditions. Smugglers exploit migrants and put lives in significant danger for their own profit.”