Authorities suspect human smuggling incident off Laguna’s Crescent Bay Beach
North Laguna Beach residents may have heard the sound of a helicopter hovering overhead early Wednesday morning, when authorities converged on an abandoned boat off the coast of Crescent Bay Beach.
Public safety personnel responded to the area at approximately 6 a.m. Officials found the vessel had capsized just outside the surf break.
Officers believed the incident could be related to human smuggling, according to a statement released later the same morning by the Laguna Beach Police Department. Surveillance footage from nearby residents revealed that life vests and gas canisters had been left in the area.
Mayor Sue Kempf encouraged anyone with additional surveillance video of the coastline to contact law enforcement.
“We’re being vigilant, but any camera footage that any residents along the coastline might have, any recorded video, they can always notify the police department,” Kempf said.
The boat has been towed away. An ongoing investigation is being handled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard.
A small boat and 12 life vests were found abandoned at Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach. Officials believe it was used to transport migrants.
Responding agencies, including Laguna Beach marine safety, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard, did not find anyone in distress or injured in the water, city officials said.
The Laguna Beach coastline has seen numerous incidents of boats washing ashore after suspected human smuggling attempts.
A recent occurrence happened on Sept. 2, when a panga-style vessel ran aground at Victoria Beach.
On that occasion, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson said a dozen life jackets and 10 fuel cans were found aboard the vessel.
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