At least eight people were dead and a search was underway for the missing Sunday after a boat accident off a San Diego beach, authorities said.
A Coast Guard cutter was combing the area near Blacks Beach on Sunday, and officials hoped to use helicopters when weather improves, Coast Guard Petty Officer Richard Brahm said.
San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesperson Mónica Muñoz said in a statement the department communications center received a 911 call at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday from a woman who said she was on a panga boat with 15 people aboard that made it to the shore at Blacks Beach.
The caller said another panga – relatively small fishing boats with outboard motors – had capsized and people were in the water, Muñoz said. It was unclear how many people were on that boat – Muñoz said the woman said eight. Brahm said the woman had said 15 “but that was just an estimate.”