A suspected migrant-smuggling vessel was discovered in Solana Beach early Wednesday morning, Sept. 20, with no one on board, according to officials and photos shared with the Solana Beach Sun.
“No arrests have been made in connection with this suspected human smuggling attempt,” said Michael J. Scappechio, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson. “An investigation into the incident is ongoing.”
Photos shared with the Solana Beach Sun by Teresa Lorscheider Vale, a local resident who was taking pictures of surfers that morning, show lifeguards towing the vessel from the beach near the Del Mar Shores stairway, located off Del Mar Shores Terrace.
Lifeguards notified Border Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard after discovering the vessel at 6:43 a.m., Solana Beach Marine Safety Capt. Jason Shook said in an interview. There had been six passengers and an operator aboard the vessel, based on the number of life vests that were inside, Shook added.
There was no search and rescue conducted by local lifeguards, but Border Patrol’s Air and Marine Operations responded and found 11 fuel containers inside the vessel, in addition to the seven life vests. They also seized the vessel.
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