US Coast Guard crews and US Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO) marine interdiction agents interdicted 21 suspected illegal aliens approximately 14 miles (23 kilometres) west of San Clemente Island on Wednesday, July 29.
At approximately 12:00 local time, Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach watchstanders received a notification from a Good Samaritan reporting a suspected alien smuggling vessel near San Clemente Island.
AMO marine interdiction agents located the vessel and conducted a boarding, identifying 21 suspected illegal aliens aboard. A Coast Guard Station Los Angeles-Long Beach boat crew arrived on scene to assist.
During the boarding, coast guard responders located a 56-year-old man unresponsive and began administering CPR.
A Coast Guard Air Station Ventura MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was diverted to conduct a medical evacuation. The aircrew hoisted the patient and continued CPR while transporting him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Hospital staff restored the patient’s pulse before he was later pronounced deceased.
The remaining 20 suspected aliens were detained and transferred to US Border Patrol personnel.