US Coast Guard rescues 16 people off Mexico’s coast — Al Jazeera

The US Coast Guard rescued 16 people after a boat sank in the Pacific Ocean about 225 km west of the Mexican city of Ensenada. At least 11 more people are considered missing, and the search operation is ongoing.

Distress signal received overnight

As Al Jazeera reports, a Mayday signal from the boat was received at about 01:00 on Friday. A rescue helicopter arrived in the area about two hours later, US Coast Guard Lieutenant Santiago Tamburini said.

The crew, which included a rescue swimmer, pulled 16 people from the water over about an hour and a half. According to the Mexican consulate, all those rescued are Mexican citizens.

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Victims taken to San Diego

One survivor is receiving treatment for a possible shark bite, while two others are in critical condition, authorities said. The rescued people were flown by helicopter to San Diego in the United States and then transported to hospitals. The Mexican consulate in San Diego offered them consular assistance.

Two helicopters, an aircraft, a US Coast Guard cutter and a US Navy warship are involved in the search. Only debris was found in the area where the boat sank. The boat’s origin, destination and type have not yet been established.

According to Tamburini, the area is known as a possible route for smugglers transporting migrants to the United States. At the same time, fishing and recreational vessels also operate there, so the circumstances of how the people came to be at sea remain unclear.