Indian Children Missing, Parents In Hospital After Boat Sinks Off US Coast

A small boat overturned off the coast near San Diego, California, on Monday morning, leaving three dead, four injured and seven missing. This includes four Indians - while two children are missing, their parents are undergoing treatment at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, as per the Consulate General of India in San Francisco.

In a statement issued on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Consulate General of India in San Francisco said they are extending all support to the affected Indian family. "We are very sad to know about the tragic incident of a boat capsizing near Torrey Pines State Beach, off the coast near San Diego, California, this morning... The Consulate is providing all necessary assistance to the affected Indian family in coordination with local authorities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragedy," they wrote.

We are very sad to know about the tragic incident of a boat capsizing near Torrey Pines State Beach, off the coast near San Diego, California, this morning. As per available information, three people died, nine went missing, and four were injured in the incident. An Indian…

— India in SF (@CGISFO) May 5, 2025

Initially, nine people were reported missing, but two people were found and detained later, bringing the tally down to seven, US Coast Guard Petty Officer Hunter Schnabel told the news agency Associated Press (AP).

The three dead were all males, as per reports.

The four survivors -- three females and a male -- are being treated for respiratory-related issues, the hospital said in a statement. Of the survivors, three are in their 30s and one is a teenager, the hospital added.

US Coast Guard Petty Officer Chris Sappey told AP they did not know where the boat was coming from before it overturned. He described the vessel as a panga, a single or twin-engine open fishing boat commonly used by smugglers.

"They were not tourists," Mr Sappey told AP. "They are believed to be migrants."

Over a dozen people were on board when the boat overturned at around 6:30 am; 18 life vests were located on shore. Hikers at Torrey Pines State Beach saw the boat capsizing, prompting one of them to call for help.

"A doctor hiking nearby called in and said, 'I see people doing CPR on the beach, I'm running that way,'" Lt Nick Backouris of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said, as per AP report.

Authorities found a pair of running shoes, more than a dozen life vests, an empty waterproof cell phone bag and various water bottles inside the boat. Its engine was reportedly visibly damaged.

A 45-foot-long rescue boat and a helicopter have been deployed to search for the missing people in the water, a spokesperson told CNN. The investigation is underway.

Update: USCG continues to search for 7 missing people involved in an overturned vessel incident near Del Mar, CA this morning. The USCG is requesting the public notify the USCG at 800-854-9834 if they have any relevant information on the identities of the 7 missing people. pic.twitter.com/TaXDgjsQS7

— USCGNorCal (@USCGNorCal) May 5, 2025

California State Parks, Del Mar Lifeguards, the San Diego Sheriff's Department, the US Coast Guard and the US Border Patrol, several agencies are involved with responding to the incident, as per CNN.