At least 8 dead after 2 suspected smuggling boats capsize off the coast of San Diego

Authorities in San Diego, California, reported that two suspected immigrant smuggling boats crashed near Black's Beach on Saturday night, resulting in the deaths of at least eight people.

James Gartland, lifeguard chief of the local Fire Department, explained that the emergency team was alerted to the incident around 11:30 p.m. after a Spanish-speaking woman called 911 saying that two ships capsized and that there were people in the water.

The caller explained that the boat she was on did make it to shore but that the other boat did not and had about 15 people on board. However, when authorities arrived they found both boats capsized and no survivors.

Rescuers found eight deceased, all adults. But it has not yet been determined how many people survived and how many lifeless bodies remain to be pulled from the ocean.

"This is one of the worst maritime smuggling tragedies that I can think of in California, and certainly here in the city of San Diego," Gartland said.

The chief lifeguard explained that smugglers often use overloaded boats in poor condition and choose to sail at night to avoid detection. "Without navigation lights or a plan to navigate well, it’s just a difficult landing and extrication (...) It’s very difficult for anybody to operate in those conditions," he said.

Captain James Spitler, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Diego, told reporters that since 2017 there has been a 771% increase in human trafficking in the Southern California coastal region.