No one was seriously injured Tuesday morning when a panga boat carrying 15 illegal immigrants flipped in the surf off of Crystal Cove State Park, according to authorities.
Fourteen people, all Mexicans, were taken into custody after the boat overturned about 5 a.m., Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said. One passenger got away, she said.
"Fortunately, no one was killed or seriously hurt," she said.
The northbound boat was being tracked by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, Kice said.
"We've seen a significant surge in maritime smuggling in the last year or so,'' Kice said.
— City News Service
