The search continues for 11 people unaccounted for after a boat carrying 27 passengers capsized off Mexico's Baja California coast on Friday. Sixteen survivors, all Mexican nationals, were rescued and some treated for injuries consistent with shark bites, the US Coast Guard said. A Mayday call was issued at around 1am Friday from a location approximately 225km (140 miles) west of Ensenada. A rescue helicopter arrived about two hours later, and it took rescuers 90 minutes to pull all 16 survivors from the water. The Coast Guard, US Navy, and Mexican Navy conducted joint search operations using multiple aircraft and vessels, with another helicopter to be deployed later Saturday. The incident occurred outside US waters, but US authorities responded due to proximity and operational capacity. Survivors reported the total number on board, leading to the conclusion that 11 remain missing. The area is known for both recreational boating and migrant smuggling activity. No further details were provided on the condition of the survivors or the cause of the capsizing.
The presence of shark bite injuries among survivors raises urgent questions about the timeline and conditions of their time in the water. The length of exposure before rescue may have directly influenced the severity of those injuries.
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