3 dead, dozens injured in San Diego boat accident Sunday

SAN DIEGO (AP): Three people were killed and more than two dozen others were hospitalized after a boat capsized and broke apart just off the San Diego coast.

Officials suspect it was a human smuggling operation. Lifeguards, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies responded around 10:30 a.m. Sunday following reports of an overturned vessel near the peninsula of Point Loma.

Lifeguard Chief, James Gartland says, “this is a tragedy, yeah, it’s a tragic event here in San Diego and probably one of the bigger vessel accidents and bigger calls that we’ve seen here certainly in my 26 years here and certainly in Lt. Romero’s 28 years, this is probably the worst tragedy.”

Seven people were pulled from the waves, including three who drowned and were pronounced dead at the scene. One person was rescued from a cliff and 22 others managed to make it to shore on their own.