2 Indian children missing as boat carrying migrants capsizes off US coast: What we know so far | World News

Two Indian children are missing after a boat carrying suspected migrants capsized off California’s coast early Monday morning (local time). The incident claimed three lives and left four injured, including the parents of the missing children, news agency AP reported, citing US Coast Guard officials.
Seven people, including the two children, remained missing when the coast guard suspended its search on Monday night. The Coast Guard received the news of a boat washing ashore near Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego at 6.30 am (7 pm ) on Monday. The vessel, a panga (a small, open fishing boat), reportedly flipped about 36 kilometres north of the Mexican border.
Here’s what we know about the incident so far.
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Indian Consulate offers assance
In a social media post on X, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco stated, “An Indian family is also affected in this tragedy. While two Indian children are missing, the parents are undergoing treatment at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla.” Expressing condolences over the incident, the consulate added that it is providing all necessary assance to the affected Indian family in coordination with local authorities.
A Coast Guard spokesperson also told news agency Reuters that Indian passports were found on the beach near where the panga washed up.
Items such as shoes and life preservers remain in the vessel after it capsized (Reuters Photo)
Migrants often use route to enter US
Of the initial nine missing people, two were found the Coast Guard. The two are suspected of being smugglers and have been detained. Pangas are commonly used to smuggle people or drugs. US Coast Guard Petty Officer Chris Sappey told AP that it was unclear where the boat was coming from, but its occupants were “not tours”. “They are believed to be migrants,” Sappey said.
Migrants often risk travelling in pangas to avoid the heavily guarded land borders. They start their journey from Mexico and enter the US through the California coast. However, authorities note that ocean conditions can be rough, endangering lives. A US Homeland Security Investigations agent, Shawn Gibson, said the incident was a “stark reminder of the dangers posed maritime smuggling.” “The ruthless smuggling of undocumented individuals is not only illegal, it’s deadly,” he added.Story continues below this ad
According to Reuters, the coast guard has recorded 1,354 incidents of maritime border-crossing in the San Diego region in the last 12 months. Authorities have taken 561 individuals into custody during that period.
A US Coast Guard boat and lifeguards look for survivors after a boat capsized off the San Diego coast. (AP Photo)
In one of the deadliest maritime smuggling cases in the waters off the US coast, eight people were killed in 2023 as a boat capsized near the San Diego beach, caught in the surf. In May 2021, three people were killed and dozens of others were injured in a similar accident.
The latest incident comes amid the Donald Trump adminration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. The government has deported 1,39,000 people in its first three months, ramping up arrests and detention of undocumented migrants. In the latest measure, the adminration is offering USD 1,000 to undocumented migrants for self-deporting as well as a plane ticket to return to their home country.
Rescue and relief measures
The Coast Guard has deployed a rescue boat and helicopter to ass lifeguards in the search for the missing people. In an update on Monday night, the agency said that it had searched for 28 hours, covering a dance of 520 square miles for the missing individuals.Story continues below this ad
All the survivors have been taken to the hospital. Of these, three are adults and one is a teenager. One of them is said to be in a critical condition.
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