8 reported dead after 2 suspected smuggling boats crash at Black's Beach in San Diego [View all]
Source: LA Times
SAN DIEGO At least eight people died late Saturday night when two suspected smuggling boats overturned in the ocean off Blacks Beach in the Torrey Pines area in what officials called one of the deadliest maritime events in San Diego history.
Officials were alerted to the incident when a Spanish-speaking woman called 911 around 11:30 p.m. asking for help. She said two boats were near Blacks Beach, one with eight people onboard and a second with eight to 10 people. She told dispatchers the one she was on had made it to shore while the other had capsized and people were in the water.
However, emergency crews found both boats capsized and did not find any survivors, said Lifeguard Chief James Gartland, of the San Diego Fire Department.
A lifeguard dispatcher used GPS coordinates from the womans cellphone to pinpoint the location to water off of Black Gold Road, south of Torrey Pines Gliderport, San Diego Fire-Rescue officials said.
Read more: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-12/8-reported-dead-after-2-suspected-smuggling-boats-crash-at-blacks-beach-in-san-diego