KABUL (Pajhwok): Sixteen people have been rescued and 11 others are believed to be missing after a boat reportedly sank off Mexico’s Baja California coast, the US Coast Guard said.
Al Jazeera reported that the incident occurred on Friday, about 225 kilometres west of Ensenada, Mexico.
The US Coast Guard received a distress call at around 1am on Friday reporting that a boat was sinking. A rescue helicopter reached the area about two hours later, Coast Guard Lieutenant Santiago Tamburini said.
The rescue crew, which included a rescue swimmer, took about 90 minutes to pull the 16 people from the water, Tamburini said.
The survivors were flown by helicopter to San Diego, California, and taken to hospitals for treatment. According to the report, one survivor was being treated for a suspected shark bite, while two others were in critical condition.
The US Coast Guard and Navy are continuing the search for the 11 people believed to be missing, using helicopters, aircraft and naval vessels. The Mexican Navy has also launched a search-and-rescue operation.
The Coast Guard said the vessel’s type, origin, destination and purpose remained unclear. Rescuers found debris but no boat at the scene.
The incident occurred in an area used by smugglers transporting migrants to the United States, but it is also frequented by fishing and recreational boats. Officials said it was not yet clear what the vessel was doing in the area.
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