The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 16 people from the ocean about 120 miles off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico, early Friday and is continuing to search for others who may still be in the water.
The agency received a mayday call from a vessel about 1 a.m. Friday. When rescue crews arrived, no boat was in the area and more than a dozen people were in the water, said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Third Class Chris Sappey.
“They’ve rescued 16 so far, and one of the rescued survivors reported that there was 27 people on board,” Sappey said. “We are still out there searching.”
It is unclear why the vessel was in the area or whether it was part of a human smuggling operation.
Those who were pulled from the water were flown by helicopter to San Diego, where they were taken via ambulance to local hospitals. Two people were in critical condition, San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Brian Raines told reporters at the scene.
A Coast Guard helicopter from Ventura, a fixed-wing plane from Sacramento and the U.S. Navy are assisting with the rescue effort, Sappey said.
