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The shipwreck occurred at Black’s Beach, in California. Of the eight bodies found, authorities indicated that seven of them are of Mexican nationality.
A shipwreck off the coast of San Diego, United States, has left at least eight dead. It is presumed that seven of them were Mexican migrants. According to authorities, the tragedy occurred at the beach known as Black’s Beach, in La Jolla.
The incident was recorded on Saturday, March 11, around 11:35 pm. It was reported that a small boat had capsized near the coast, which triggered a rescue operation involving the Coast Guard, Border Patrol, and other local agencies.
According to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, a woman called to report two boats, one of which had capsized with 15 people and the other with 8 who managed to reach the shore.
At the accident site, rescue teams were able to recover the bodies of eight deceased individuals, but it is unknown if there were more people aboard the boat.
Authorities are investigating the causes of the accident, although it is suspected to be a case of human trafficking. Migrants often pay large sums of money to traffickers to bring them to the United States under dangerous conditions, frequently on poorly equipped boats, which can result in shipwrecks.
This shipwreck is is one of the worst tragedies in recent history of human trafficking
This tragedy has been classified as one of the worst in recent history of human trafficking in the region. According to authorities, the majority of the victims of the shipwreck were Mexican, and only one has been identified so far.
The Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego has issued a statement expressing its condolences to the families of the victims of the shipwreck, and also reported that it was aware of two suspected smuggling boats, one of which had capsized with between 8 and 15 people on board. This was in their preliminary reports.
It is presumed that the reasons for the boats capsizing were the fog, high tide, and the lack of lights that would have allowed them to have a clear view to proceed cautiously.
There are records that in 2021, the deaths due to human trafficking in the waters in this area were 23, and it is estimated that there may be more.
This event occurs in the context of a humanitarian crisis that is being experienced at the borders of Mexico and the United States. President Joe Biden has faced criticism for his handling of the situation, which has led to an increase in the number of migrants attempting to cross the border in search of asylum.
2022 has been a deadly year for migrants
According to the Border Patrol, it was the deadliest year for the United States regarding this issue. The record of migrants who died attempting to cross the border in 2022 was 853. This number surpasses the 2021 record of 546 deaths. The recorded deaths are usually of migrants who drown (such as in the recent shipwreck), or die underwater in the Rio Grande, or succumb to extreme temperatures in the desert along the border.
Other deaths occur from falls while attempting to climb the border wall, and human trafficking also plays a significant role in the number of migrant deaths.
Sources: CNN, San Diego Union Tribune, Infobae, El Latino Online, El Universal
