16 Injured, 11 Missing As Boat Capsizes Off California Coast After Suspected Shark Attack

At least 11 people remain missing after a boat carrying 27 people capsized off Mexico’s Baja California coast, while 16 survivors were rescued with several suffering serious injuries consistent with shark bites. The US Coast Guard and Navy, assisted by the Mexican Navy, continued search-and-rescue operations on Sunday, October 18, as authorities worked to locate the missing passengers.

The incident occurred early Friday, October 16, in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 140 miles (225 kilometres) west of Ensenada, Mexico. According to the US Coast Guard, a Mayday distress call was received at around 1 am, reporting that the vessel was sinking.

A rescue helicopter reached the location approximately two hours later. It took rescuers around 90 minutes to pull the 16 survivors from the water. Coast Guard crews included a rescue swimmer, and the survivors were found clinging to one another and floating debris. Some were wearing life jackets, while the boat itself was no longer visible.

“Several of the individuals rescued were suffering from severe injuries consistent with shark bites,” the Coast Guard said in a statement on Saturday, adding that its personnel administered life-saving first aid while transporting survivors towards San Diego.

The rescued individuals were identified as Mexican nationals by the Mexican consulate in San Diego. Three were taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital, including a person with suspected shark bites and two people treated for cold exposure. Three others were evaluated at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and subsequently discharged. Two patients were reported to be in critical condition, although it was unclear whether they included the suspected shark-bite victim.

The US Coast Guard, US Navy and Mexican Navy deployed helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft, boats, a cutter and a Navy combat ship to search for the 11 missing people. Authorities planned to continue searching as long as conditions offered a reasonable chance of finding survivors.

The capsizing occurred outside US territorial waters in an area known for fishing, recreational boating and suspected migrant-smuggling activity. However, authorities have not confirmed why the vessel was at sea or whether it was involved in a smuggling operation.

US Customs and Border Protection was interviewing survivors as part of its investigation. Those who qualify as witnesses to a crime may be eligible for temporary humanitarian parole.

The region has witnessed previous deadly maritime incidents. At least three people died when a boat capsized north of the US-Mexico border in May 2025, while eight people were killed in a 2023 accident involving migrant boats near San Diego.