Overview
- Border Patrol observed a panga crossing from Mexican waters before it overturned near Seacoast Drive around 11:40 p.m. Friday, officials said.
- Six people were found on the beach shortly before midnight, with one pronounced dead and another pulled from beneath the capsized boat.
- A bystander report near Imperial Beach Pier led Coast Guard crews to recover three additional bodies about two hours later.
- Five survivors were rescued, four were taken to hospitals with minor injuries, and one was transferred to a Department of Homeland Security agency.
- Authorities cite rough surf from a regional storm as a likely factor, several survivors reported Mexican nationality, and searches plus an HSI investigation are ongoing.