Coast Guard officers fired four rounds into a smuggling vessel’s engine near Point Loma after the high-speed craft carrying illegal immigrants refused to yield to warnings, highlighting the escalating maritime border crisis in Southern California.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. Coast Guard disabled an 18-foot vessel that refused to stop during a high-speed chase near San Diego, finding eight illegal immigrants aboard, including two teenage boys.
- From May 4-10, Coast Guard units intercepted 11 vessels involved in illegal smuggling operations, apprehending 37 illegal immigrants in Southern California waters.
- Border Patrol has reported approximately 45,400 illegal immigrant encounters in the San Diego sector since October, with maritime routes increasingly used due to tightened land border security.
- Several deadly incidents have occurred recently, including a May 5 boat capsizing near Del Mar that killed three people and injured four others.
- All apprehended individuals were transferred to the Department of Homeland Security for processing.
Coast Guard Forced to Fire on Migrant Vessel
In a dramatic maritime interdiction on May 10, 2025, U.S. Coast Guard personnel were forced to use disabling fire to stop a suspected human smuggling vessel speeding toward San Diego Bay. The incident occurred approximately two miles south of Point Loma when Coast Guard personnel observed an 18-foot cuddy cabin vessel traveling at high speed. After being directed to intercept the suspicious craft, Coast Guard officers made multiple attempts to stop the vessel using verbal commands and warning shots, all of which were ignored by the vessel’s operator.
With the vessel continuing to flee at high speed and refusing to comply with lawful orders, Coast Guard personnel resorted to disabling fire as a last measure. Four precise rounds were fired into the boat’s engine, effectively immobilizing the craft without injury to any of the occupants. Upon boarding the disabled vessel, officers discovered eight illegal immigrants: five adult males, one adult female, and two teenage boys aged 16 and 17, all attempting to enter the United States illegally by sea.
A U.S. Coast Guard crew intercepted a suspected human smuggling operation roughly 23 miles west of Oceanside’s coast. https://t.co/5Iu1YTKdGe
— FOX 5 San Diego (@fox5sandiego) April 23, 2025
Part of the Larger Maritime Border Crisis
This high-profile interdiction represents just one incident in a rapidly escalating maritime border crisis in Southern California. During the same week, Coast Guard units intercepted multiple other vessels engaged in illegal smuggling operations. On an unspecified date, a separate operation involved the Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne conducting a routine boarding of a 20-foot pleasure craft about two miles south of Point Loma, where officials discovered three additional undocumented migrants. That vessel lacked proper registration or documentation, and its occupants had no legal authorization to be in the United States.
The Coast Guard’s San Diego unit reported that from May 4 to May 10 alone, they intercepted a total of 11 vessels involved in illegal smuggling operations, resulting in the apprehension of 37 illegal immigrants. This surge in maritime smuggling attempts demonstrates how human trafficking organizations are increasingly turning to ocean routes as the Trump administration has strengthened land border security measures. Each vessel and its occupants were taken to Ballast Point and transferred to the Department of Homeland Security for processing and deportation procedures.
Deadly Consequences of Maritime Smuggling
The dangers of maritime smuggling were tragically illustrated just days before the Point Loma incident. On May 5, a suspected smuggling vessel capsized near Del Mar, resulting in three deaths and four injuries. This deadly incident underscores the severe risks that human traffickers are willing to impose on migrants, often using unsafe vessels and dangerous ocean conditions to attempt illegal entry into the United States. In addition, early on the morning of May 10, Border Patrol agents apprehended nine people suspected of being undocumented after their boat washed ashore in La Jolla.
According to Border Patrol statistics, approximately 45,400 illegal immigrants have been encountered in the San Diego sector since October. The waters off San Diego have become particularly active for human smuggling operations as smugglers adapt to increased enforcement on land routes. The Coast Guard continues to warn about the extreme dangers associated with these maritime smuggling attempts, which often involve overloaded vessels, inexperienced operators, and treacherous ocean conditions that have repeatedly led to deaths at sea.
Ongoing Enforcement Efforts
The Coast Guard’s aggressive interdiction tactics reflect the Trump administration’s commitment to securing America’s maritime borders and disrupting the operations of human trafficking organizations. By employing a range of escalating measures – from verbal warnings to disabling fire when necessary – the Coast Guard demonstrates its resolve to prevent illegal entry while prioritizing the safety of all individuals involved, including the migrants themselves, who are often placed in life-threatening situations by smugglers focused solely on profit.
As maritime smuggling attempts continue to rise, law enforcement agencies are enhancing coordination between the Coast Guard, Border Patrol, and local authorities to create a more effective defense against these illegal operations. These efforts will likely intensify in the coming months as smugglers adapt their tactics and President Trump’s administration continues implementing its robust border security policies aimed at ending the exploitation of vulnerable migrants and protecting America’s sovereign borders against illegal entry, regardless of the method or route.
