Ahmedabad: On May 5, a small wooden boat capsized in rough waters off Torrey Pines State Beach, about 30 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego. The panga—a flat-bottomed fishing vessel traditionally used in Mexico and Central America—carried at least 16 people in a suspected human smuggling operation. Among them was the Patel family from Gujarat’s Mehsana district, that was attempting to illegally enter the United States from Mexico.
Of the three people who died in the incident was 10-year-old Prince Patel, son of a Gujarat couple, Brijesh Patel and Sangita Patel. Their 14-year-old daughter, Mahi Patel, is still missing. Brijesh, 39, and Sangita, 38, survived but are hospitalised in San Diego with severe injuries, confronting both physical trauma and the devastating loss of their children.
Brijesh Patel’s cousin, Kinjal Patel, 36, said the family hails from Anandpura village in Kukarwada, Mehsana, where they can trace their roots back 150-200 years, and where they still have an ancestral house, though they had been living in Ahmedabad for some years now.
“We learned (about the tragedy) through news channels only a couple of days ago,” Kinjal said. The early reports got Brijesh and Sangita’s names wrong, but Nikesh and Jiya’s names were being accurately reported. This, Kinjal said, had confused them.
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He said that the family had left India some time before Diwali 2024, with tourist visas for the United Kingdom, leading relatives to believe they were in London. “They went for a vacation, we thought,” he said.
Kinjal added that he spoke with them a few times but had no idea how they ended up in San Diego. “We have no clarity about what has happened, no idea how they reached there. We are in a state of shock,” he said.
The panga,designed for fishing, overturned in choppy seas with waves reaching six to seven feet around 6:30 am on May 5. The vessels are typically overcrowded and lack safety equipment for the hazardous journeys.
Hikers at Torrey Pines State Beach witnessed the disaster and alerted authorities. A doctor hiking nearby reportedly rushed to assist, performing CPR on victims.
Multiple agencies responded promptly, including the U.S. Coast Guard, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, and U.S. Border Patrol. Rescuers recovered three bodies: Prince Patel, an 18-year-old Mexican boy, and another unidentified man.
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Brijesh and Sangita, among the four persons to be rescued, were taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. Brijesh is in critical condition, while Sangita is being treated for respiratory failure.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco expressed grief over the May 5 tragedy and said it was assisting the Indian family in coordination with local authorities.
“As per available information, three people died, nine went missing, and four were injured in the incident. An Indian family is also affected in this tragedy. While two Indian children are missing, the parents are undergoing treatment at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. The Consulate is providing all necessary assistance to the affected Indian family in coordination with local authorities,” the mission said in a statement.
The tragedy echoes similar incidents in recent years.
In January 2022, a family of four from Dingucha (Gandhinagar) froze to death while trying to cross from Canada into the U.S. A year later, a Mehsana family drowned in the St. Lawrence River during a similar attempt. Despite high-profile deportations — including 104 Indians returned on a U.S. military flight in February 2025, followed by 119 more days later—the exodus continues.
Smuggling networks charge exorbitant fees to transport migrants through complex international pathways. Alternative routes include hazardous sea passages to Europe.
In December 2023, French authorities grounded a chartered Legend Airways flight from Dubai to Nicaragua carrying 303 Indians, including 66 from Gujarat, exposing a human trafficking operation.
Five individuals face charges related to the incident. Two, arrested at the beach, are charged with human smuggling resulting in death, and face potential life imprisonment or the death penalty. A vehicle seen fleeing was tied to the operation, aiding the arrests.