The U.S. Coast Guard rescues at least 16 people from the Pacific Ocean off Mexico’s Baja California coast and searches for others after reports of people in the water, officials said. The incident occurs in the predawn hours Friday, about 120–140 miles west of Ensenada. A Coast Guard official says there is no sight of a vessel and the group’s reason for being in the water is unclear.
Rescued people are taken to hospitals in San Diego. One person reportedly tells responders that as many as 27 people were on board a boat, suggesting additional missing passengers. The Coast Guard continues searching for more survivors using a helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, and a cutter, while assisting Mexican authorities. The reported scenario fits a broader pattern in which migrants sometimes use sea routes arranged by smugglers to avoid heavily guarded land borders.
Across outlets, the main reported points are consistent: the number of people rescued (16), the location off Baja, the continuing search for others, and the lack of any vessel sighting at the time of rescue.
