Federal authorities charged five people with human smuggling after the May 5 capsizing of a boat off southern California. Border Patrol agents located eight of nine migrants missing from the boat when they stopped drivers of vehicles that transported them from a beach near San Diego, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The incident “led to the deaths of at least three migrants, including a 14-year-old boy from India. His 10-year-old sister is still missing at sea and presumed dead; their father is in a coma and mother is also hospitalized,” according to a news release from the agency issued late Tuesday.
Bystanders and San Diego County lifeguards began first rescue efforts when the boat flipped over in the surf at Del Mar beach just after dawn May 5. Police recovered three bodies and four others were rescued and hospitalized. Nine others were initially unaccounted for.
Two accused smugglers identified by authorities as Mexican nationals Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna and Jesus Juan Rodriguez Leyva, were arrested Monday at the beach and charged Tuesday with human smuggling resulting in death and human smuggling for financial gain.
Later that night, Border Patrol agents in Chula Vista, Calif., saw a vehicle that had been observed at the beach.
“The driver of the vehicle fled the scene,” according to a narrative by the Justice Department. “During the investigation, Border Patrol agents identified two other vehicles that were involved in the smuggling event and were able to successfully stop and arrest the drivers of these load vehicles and locate eight of the nine migrants missing from the boat,” except the 10-year-old girl believed lost at sea.
Melissa Jenelle Cota, Gustavo Lara and Sergio Rojas-Fregosa, all described as Mexican nationals, were arrested and charged with transportation of illegal aliens. Rojas-Fregoso, had previously been deported from the United States in December 2023, according to the agency.
