San Diego boat crash: 3 killed, 9 missing at sea

Three people were killed, four others were injured, and nine remain missing after a small boat capsized early Monday off the coast of San Diego, authorities said.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department reported that emergency crews, including the U.S. Coast Guard, responded to the incident around 6:30 a.m. following reports of an overturned panga-style boat near Torrey Pines State Beach.

The Coast Guard confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that it is actively searching for the nine missing individuals in waters approximately 15 miles north of downtown San Diego.

Panga boats—open vessels typically used for fishing—are frequently employed by smugglers attempting to transport people or goods illegally across coastal borders. Authorities have not confirmed whether the vessel involved was part of a smuggling operation, but the investigation is ongoing.

Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.

This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.