Overview
- U.S. Border Patrol tracked the small panga-style boat crossing from Mexican waters and reported it overturned in the surf near Seacoast Drive around 11:40 p.m. Friday.
- Six people were located on the beach shortly before midnight, including one person pronounced dead at the scene and another rescued from beneath the capsized vessel.
- After a 1:45 a.m. bystander report near Imperial Beach Pier, Coast Guard crews recovered three more people from the water, bringing the confirmed death toll to four.
- Five survivors were recovered; four were taken to local hospitals and one was transferred to a Department of Homeland Security agency, officials said.
- Coast Guard, Border Patrol, local fire departments, and lifeguards conducted an overnight search in rough post-storm surf, with officials noting recent deadly panga cases and ongoing HSI-led investigative efforts.