Three people are dead and 27 more were injured after a boat believed to be a “smuggling vessel” overturned off the coast of San Diego on Sunday. Rick Romero, San Diego Fire Rescue lifeguard lieutenant, said during a press conference that the agency received a call around 10 a.m. from a commercial assistance vessel reporting a vessel offshore near the surf line that appeared to be in trouble.
A total of about 30 people were on the boat at the time of the incident, exceeding its capacity, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent Jeff Stephenson said there was “every indication” the boat was being used to smuggle migrants into the United States illegally. Romero said that injuries ranged from hypothermia to damage related to the boat breaking apart.
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