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NewsWPLG Local 10October 24, 2026Miami-Dade County

Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Rescues 16 People from Sinking Boat off Mexican Coast

Photo: WPLG Local 10

A 24-year-old U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer was lowered into the dark Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico to rescue 16 survivors from a capsized boat. Operating in 6-to-8-foot waves over a two-hour period, Josh Law used a buddy-tow technique to hoist the individuals into a helicopter while 11 others remained missing. The survivors, all Mexican citizens, were subsequently flown to San Diego for medical treatment and processed by immigration authorities.

Emergency ServicesCoast GuardSearch and RescueImmigration
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10

Why It Matters

A major maritime rescue operation deployed federal air resources to save 16 individuals from hypothermic waters 140 miles off the Baja peninsula, while triggering a multi-day international search involving the U.S. Navy and Mexican authorities that spanned over 2,441 square miles.

Key Facts

  • A 24-year-old U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Josh Law, personally rescued 16 people from a capsized boat in the Pacific Ocean.
  • The incident occurred approximately 140 miles off the coast of Mexico's Baja peninsula in 6-to-8-foot waves during the predawn hours of Oct. 16.
  • Eleven other people from the vessel were never found, prompting a multi-day search covering over 2,441 square miles by the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, and Mexico.
  • The rescue crew flew to San Diego due to dwindling fuel, where ambulances waited to transport the survivors.
  • Three survivors were treated for bad wounds, including injuries consistent with shark bites.
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers interviewed the survivors, and nearly half have since been returned to Mexico.
  • The vessel's origin and purpose remain part of a federal investigation, with authorities exploring whether it was a migrant smuggling boat.

Who's Mentioned

locationBaja peninsula“Region near where the boat originated”OrganizationU.S. Navy“Assisted in the search for missing persons”locationGuadalupe Island“Biosphere reserve southwest of Ensenada”locationEnsenada“Reference point off the coast of Mexico”OrganizationU.S. Customs and Border Protection“Investigating and interviewing survivors”OrganizationMexican consulate“Stated that all rescued individuals are Mexican”PersonJosh Law“Coast Guard rescue swimmer who performed the 16 rescues”locationLos Angeles“Dateline and reference point”locationMexico“Country of origin for the rescued individuals”OrganizationU.S. Coast Guard“Conducted the rescue operation and search”locationSan Diego“Coast Guard station where the helicopter landed with survivors”locationPacific Ocean“Location of the sinking vessel and rescue”PersonMiyako Miller“Coast Guard helicopter pilot”locationVentura“Coast Guard Air Station departure point”