LOS ANGELES, CA – The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a 34-foot vessel carrying 21 migrants about a mile west of Newport Beach during an evening patrol on Thursday, officials said.
The Coast Guard cutter Narwhal crew reported spotting the vessel “operating suspiciously” outside of Newport Harbor. A small boat team was deployed and boarded the vessel at approximately 7:05 p.m., where they discovered the migrants onboard.
Authorities said the migrants were taken into custody and safely transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for processing.
According to the Coast Guard, 18 of the individuals onboard were of Mexican nationality, two were of Uzbek nationality, and one was identified as Russian.
“All 21 migrants were transferred to CBP custody as of Friday morning,” the Coast Guard stated.
The interdiction highlights ongoing efforts by federal agencies to address unauthorized maritime migration along the Southern California coastline. Further details about the individuals or their intended destination were not disclosed. The investigation remains ongoing.
