US Coast Guard prevents illegal migration attempt off Point Loma, California

US Coast Guard boat crews successfully prevented an attempt to smuggle migrants illegally into the United States via the California coast on Saturday, May 10.

Coast Guard Sector San Diego was alerted to the presence of an 18-foot (5.5-metre) cabin boat underway at high speed just off Point Loma at around 17:50 local time on Saturday.

A Coast Guard Station San Diego response boat immediately deployed to the area. Upon arrival, the coast guard crew attempted to establish contact with the operator of the cabin boat, but the latter vessel instead turned away.

The suspect vessel continued on its attempted escape even after the response boat crew issued radio commands and fired warning shots. It was finally disabled when the coast guard personnel shot four rounds into its engine.

The coast guard crew then boarded the suspect vessel and found eight foreign nationals including an adult female and two males aged 16 and 17.

The cabin boat's occupants were later handed over to Department of Homeland Security personnel at Ballast Point near San Diego.