5 Charged In Fatal Human-Smuggling Boat Operation Off Del Mar

SAN DIEGO, CA — Five people were charged Tuesday in connection with a fatal human-smuggling operation that left at least three people dead and several others injured off the coast of northern San Diego County.

A panga boat capsized Monday morning off the coast of Del Mar and washed ashore near Torrey Pines State Beach, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. Emergency crews recovered three bodies on the beach in Del Mar, including the body of a 14-year-old boy from India, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. His 10-year-old sister remained missing and was presumed dead. Their father is in a coma and their mother is also hospitalized.

Four survivors, including their parents, suffered minor to critical injuries and were taken to hospitals. Nine others were initially unaccounted for, including the girl, which led to a search for the missing migrants. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Monday night.

"The drowning deaths of these children are a heartbreaking reminder of how little human traffickers care about the costs of their deadly business," U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said in a statement. "We are committed to seeking justice for these vulnerable victims, and to holding accountable any traffickers responsible for their deaths."

Mexican nationals Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna, 30, and Jesus Juan Rodriguez Leyva, 36, were arrested Monday at the beach and charged Tuesday with human smuggling resulting in death and bringing in migrants for financial gain.

On Monday night, Border Patrol agents in Chula Vista stopped two vehicles whose drivers were believed to be involved in the smuggling attempt. Agents arrested the drivers and found eight of the nine migrants missing from the boat, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The missing girl was not with the group.

Mexican nationals Melissa Jenelle Cota, 33, Gustavo Lara, 32, and Sergio Rojas-Fregosa, 31, were arrested and charged with transportation of undocumented migrants. Rojas-Fregoso had previously been deported on Dec. 19, 2023.