SAN DIEGO — Coast Guard interdicted a panga with 21 individuals aboard approximately 20 miles off the coast of Point Loma, Monday evening.
At approximately 10:45 p.m., U.S. Customs and Border Protection notified Coast Guard personnel at the Joint Harbor Operations Center of a 40-foot panga-style vessel traveling north approximately 40 miles south of the maritime boundary line.
The Coast Guard Cutter Active and the Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne were diverted to the scene. Both cutters launched boarding teams and, with CBP’s assistance, successfully interdicted the vessel.
The boarding teams discovered 21 individuals aboard the panga. Initial interviews revealed that all individuals claimed Mexican nationality, although subsequent checks identified two passengers as Guatemalan and Salvadoran nationals.
The individuals were safely transferred to U.S. Border Patrol custody.
The Coast Guard remains committed to protecting lives at sea while working alongside our federal partners to combat illicit maritime activities. These operations highlight the coordinated efforts between agencies to secure our maritime borders.