SAN DIEGO — At least eight people died after two panga boats crashed near Black's Beach late Saturday night, according to San Diego Fire Rescue Department.
At 11:30 p.m., the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division communications center received a transfer call from a woman reporting that she was on a panga boat with 15 people who made it to Black's Beach shore. Another panga with eight people had capsized, and the victims were in the water.
The lifeguard dispatcher used GPS coordinates from the woman's cellphone to establish the location of the crash, which was about 800 yards north of the base of Black Gold Road. A capsized response was initiated that included personnel from SDFD, San Diego police, Customs Border Protection, US Coast Guard, State Lifeguards, UCSD Police and SDFD Lifeguards responded.
SDFD lifeguard unit arrived at the scene, but the high tide prevented them from accessing the beach, so they waded through the water up to their waist. They began to find bodies and two overturned panga boats spread across 400 yards. Several lifejackets and fuel barrels were also found.
Lifeguards on the scene pulled seven bodies to the shore, according to the SDFD. Border Patrol later found the eight body. All victims were turned over to the San Diego County Medical Examiner.
