The Coast Guard rescued 18 migrants – including two children under the age of 5 – who were stranded in open waters without food or water for at least five days.
The Southern California Coast Guard Branch found two children, a 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl, and five adults from a disabled boat floating approximately 16 miles off the coast of Baja California. Wednesday at 4 p.m. the agency said.
A Mexican naval vessel rescued the remaining 11 passengers.
Two children below the age of five were on board the boat.
The motor of the boat was dead and full of passengers.
Some migrants were rescued by helicopter and others by Mexican boat.
The stranded “presumed migrants” told the Coast Guard that they had been without food and water for five days.
Passengers also suffered from sunstroke and at least three were taken to San Diego hospitals, NBC reported.
USCG spokesman Adam Stanton said rough seas and cold waves were pounding the sides of the motorboat, which was packed with people and no longer had a working motor. The ship was taking on water, but had not yet sunk.
18 passengers were wearing life jackets. Officials do not believe any other passengers are lost at sea, ABC said.