SAN DIEGO — A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued 15 migrants from a disabled vessel adrift about 60 miles southwest of San Diego on Tuesday, officials said.
A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk crew from Air Station San Diego deployed two rescue swimmers to assist the migrants before hoisting them aboard the aircraft.
Due to space limitations, the crew completed the rescue in two separate flights, transporting all 15 individuals safely to Coast Guard Sector San Diego. They were then transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody.
The Coast Guard warned of the dangers of maritime migration in unsafe or overloaded vessels, calling such attempts life-threatening.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to saving lives and discouraging anyone from taking to the sea in ways that are unsafe and illegal,” the agency said in a statement.
