Boat Capsizes Off Mexico's Baja Coast: 16 Rescued, 11 Missing as Search Intensifies

An intensive air-and-sea search is under way for 11 people missing after a boat carrying 27 people capsized in the Pacific roughly 225 kilometres west of Ensenada, Mexico, in the early hours of Friday (Al Jazeera). Sixteen people were pulled from the water alive, several with severe injuries consistent with shark bites.

The U.S. Coast Guard received a mayday call at about 1 a.m. local time on Friday reporting a vessel going down. A rescue helicopter reached the area around two hours later, and a crew that included a rescue swimmer spent about 90 minutes hauling the 16 survivors out of the open ocean, Coast Guard Lt. Santiago Tamburini said.

A race against time in the Pacific

The search effort on Saturday spanned both sides of the border: the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy deployed multiple aircraft and boats — helicopters, a fixed-wing plane, a cutter and a Navy combat ship — while the Mexican Navy contributed to the operation. Coast Guard officials said an additional helicopter would be deployed later on Saturday.

Rescuers found debris at the scene but no trace of the vessel itself, leaving the type, origin, destination and purpose of the boat officially unclear.

"Several of the individuals rescued were suffering from severe injuries consistent with shark bites, and the Coast Guard provided life-saving first aid while en route [to] San Diego," the agency said in a statement on Saturday. Two survivors were reported in critical condition. Three of the rescued were taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, including the patient with the suspected shark bite and two people treated for cold exposure; three others evaluated at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla were later discharged, hospital officials said.

The Mexican consulate in San Diego confirmed that all 16 people rescued were Mexican nationals.

A route frequented by smugglers

Although the incident did not occur in U.S. waters, the Coast Guard launched its assets anyway. "We were able to help, and that's why we launched our assets," Petty Officer Charlie Valor said on Saturday.

The waters off Baja California are popular with fishing and leisure boats, but the area is also well known to smugglers running migrants toward the United States. The Coast Guard said Customs and Border Protection was interviewing the survivors as part of an investigation, and noted that if the survivors were witnesses to a crime, they may be eligible for humanitarian parole allowing them to remain in the country for a limited period.

The sinking is the latest in a grim string of deadly maritime crossings off the North American coast. In 2023, eight people were killed in one of the deadliest maritime smuggling accidents off the U.S. coast, when two boats approached a San Diego beach in heavy fog and one capsized in the surf. In May 2025, at least three people died when a boat flipped roughly 56 kilometres north of the U.S.-Mexico border. Deadly capsizes of migrant boats have also been reported in the Gulf of Aden (Chronicle's report on the Djibouti boat disaster) and off Malaysia (Chronicle's report on the Myanmar migrant boat sinking).

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened off Baja California?

A boat carrying 27 people capsized in the Pacific about 225 kilometres west of Ensenada, Mexico, early on Friday, October 16. Sixteen Mexican nationals were rescued; 11 people are believed to be missing. A mayday call was transmitted at about 1 a.m., and a Coast Guard rescue helicopter reached the scene about two hours later.

Who is conducting the search?

The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy are searching with helicopters, a fixed-wing plane, a cutter and a combat ship, with assistance from the Mexican Navy. An additional helicopter was expected to join the effort on Saturday.

Were the survivors attacked by sharks?

Several of the 16 survivors had severe injuries consistent with shark bites, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. They received life-saving first aid en route to San Diego and were taken to hospitals for treatment.

Was this a migrant-smuggling boat?

That has not been officially confirmed. The area is frequented by both fishing and leisure craft and by smugglers transporting migrants toward the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is interviewing the survivors, and the Coast Guard has not yet clarified the vessel's purpose or destination.