Air and Marine Operations (AMO), a branch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, identified a suspicious vessel in international waters southwest of San Diego. This observation initiated a coordinated rescue and interdiction operation.
The vessel was detected by a Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft team from the San Diego Air and Marine Branch. The crew noticed the vessel on Sunday around 9 p.m. moving north toward the maritime boundary and notified the Joint Harbor Operations Center. Subsequently, the center informed a U.S. naval ship, which had a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment onboard, to follow and investigate the vessel.
Upon inspection, naval crew members saw individuals on the deck waving white flags, indicating they were in distress. The vessel was found to have suffered engine failure and was taking on water—with approximately 2.5 feet in the engine room and six inches on the main deck. The U.S. Coast Guard deployed a Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat to evaluate the situation. They discovered 18 people aboard: 17 were Mexican nationals, comprising 12 adult males, two minor males, and three adult females, alongside one U.S. citizen, an adult female.
The occupants were safely transferred to the naval ship and later airlifted to San Diego by U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. The 17 Mexican nationals were placed into the custody of U.S. Border Patrol agents for repatriation.
Air and Marine Operations continues to focus on border security and preventing dangerous maritime smuggling efforts that risk lives.
For more details on Air and Marine Operations, visit their website or follow AMO on social media platforms.
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust."
