Two suspected human smugglers fled when a U.S. Coast Guard vessel approached them 4.5 miles south of Point Loma, resulting in a pursuit that ended with both suspects in custody and one injured.
Personnel aboard the Coast Guard cutter Sea Otter detected the high-performance water scooter crossing into U.S. waters and sent a boat crew to intercept it, the USCG public affairs said Thursday, a day after the incident.
Spotting the vessel, the pilot of the water scooter accelerated at about 5:45 a.m. Wednesday, “conducting erratic and dangerous maneuvers,” the Coast Guard said. The crew gave chase.
During the pursuit, the USCG personnel fired two flashbang-style stun grenades in an attempt to gain the suspects’ compliance, leaving one of them with an arm injury, according to the agency.
The Coast Guard crew eventually caught up with the watercraft, took the suspects into custody and provided first aid to the injured rider. Upon reaching shore, USCG personnel transferred the patient to paramedics, who took the suspect to UCSD Medical Center in undisclosed condition.
Both suspects were released to the custody of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The interdiction is part of ongoing multi-agency efforts to deter maritime smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border.
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