A boat carrying nine undocumented immigrants near the coast of San Diego was stopped after agents fired rounds at the engine, disabling the vessel, federal officials said.
The incident was reported after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection airplane spotted a panga crossing the maritime boundary line around 9:35 p.m. on Tuesday, CBP spokesperson Michael Scappechio said.
The aircraft radioed other members of Air and Marine Operations, a component of CBP, who scrambled a boat to intercept the panga, Scappechio said.
Just after midnight, the intercepting boat found the panga, officials said. The panga crew refused to follow the agents’ orders to turn their engine off, according to CBP.
“After exhausting all avenues to stop the vessel, (the agents) moved into position and deployed disabling rounds to successfully stop the panga,” Scappechio said.
Four Brazilians, two Mexicans, two Nepalese and one Chinese national were discovered on the panga and taken into custody.
