Families Search for Migrants on Sunk Boat

Jessica Castro traveled from Sinaloa to Tijuana on Tuesday to file a missing person report for her 24-year-old brother, Marcos. She says he last texted her to say he was boarding a yacht to cross into the United States. The family has not received a message from him since that communication.

Castro believes Marcos was on a vessel that sank 140 miles west of Ensenada, Mexico. The boat carried 27 people. Sixteen were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and transported to hospitals in San Diego. Eleven are still missing. Castro stated that she is looking for answers regarding his fate.

The Coast Guard Sector San Diego received distress signals at approximately 1 a.m. on Oct. 16. Crews found debris and pulled 16 people from the water. They suspended the search for the 11 missing individuals on Oct. 19. Personnel from the Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, and Mexican forces searched more than 2,441 square miles over a period of 89 hours. Federal officials said the vessel was following a route commonly used in maritime smuggling operations.

Castro connected with other families of missing migrants through social media comments. Five of these relatives could not travel to Tijuana, so Castro is seeking information on their behalf. The group shares updates in a group chat. Castro contacted San Diego hospitals to check if her brother was among the rescued. She was told she must appear in person with his documents to get details, but she and her family lack visas to cross the border.

Matilde Santos, 32, traveled from the state of Guerrero to look for her brother, Jorge Santos. He promised to call once he reached the U.S. but turned off his phone before departure. Santos initially thought he would cross on foot but switched to a boat at the last minute. The family is renting a small room in Tijuana to stay close to the incident site. Santos said they have walked the beaches of Rosarito and Tijuana in hopes of finding him or hearing news.

The Mexican Consulate in San Diego confirmed that 15 of the rescued individuals are Mexican nationals and one is from Guatemala. Five have returned to Mexico. One remains hospitalized with stable but unknown injuries. The consulate said it cannot release names publicly due to privacy concerns but will share information with relatives who provide proof of family ties. Sharp HealthCare said it cannot provide patient details to protect privacy and staff safety.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection have not responded to questions about the status of the rescued or any detentions related to a smuggling investigation. The Coast Guard deferred those questions to CBP. The federal investigation into the sinking is ongoing.

Castro has reached out to the Mexican Consulate for assistance. She said she does not know if her brother is alive. Santos described the days since the sinking as difficult, noting that her family cannot sleep while waiting for news. Both women filed reports with the Baja California Attorney General’s Office in Tijuana.