California Boat Tragedy: Girl’s Remains Identified
The body of 10-year-old Mahi Brijeshkumar Patel, a victim of the San diego panga boat capsizing, has been identified, bringing a measure of closure to the tragic California boat tragedy.The young girl perished May 5 when the vessel, carrying migrants, overturned off the coast; her brother also died. The revelation,announced May 30,follows the recovery of her remains at Torrey Pines State Beach,nearly three weeks after the accident. Authorities also made several arrests related to human smuggling. News Directory 3 is closely following developments. The investigation into the panga boat tragedy, including the search for the remaining unidentified victim and the scope of the smuggling network, is still ongoing.Discover what’s next as officials piece together the events that led to this terrible loss.
Body Identified in San Diego Panga Boat Capsizing
updated May 30, 2025
The body of a 10-year-old girl, missing after a panga boat capsized off the San Diego coast earlier this month, has been identified, authorities said. Mahi Brijeshkumar Patel was among four who died when the vessel, carrying migrants, overturned May 5, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Mahi’s body washed ashore at Torrey Pines State Beach on May 21.She had celebrated her 10th birthday just two days before the tragic accident. Her 14-year-old brother, Prince Brijeshkumar Patel, also perished in what was ruled an accidental drowning. The siblings’ parents were rescued; though, their father remains in a coma, officials reported. The family is from India.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted around 6:30 a.m. on May 5 that a small panga-style boat, carrying an estimated 16 people, had capsized just north of Torrey Pines state Beach, according to Coast Guard public affairs officer Hunter Schnabel.Marcos Lozada-Juarez, 18, was also identified as a drowning victim. One victim remains unidentified, and authorities have not confirmed the total number of people aboard the boat.
Following the capsizing, authorities initiated arrests. Jesus Ivan Rodriguez-Leyva, 36, and Julio Cesar Zuniga-Luna, 30, both Mexican nationals, were apprehended on the beach on suspicion of smuggling the passengers, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Border Patrol agents in Chula Vista,about 10 miles from the Mexican border,later stopped a car seen near the accident scene,arresting three passengers while the driver fled. Further inquiry led to the interception of two other vehicles involved in the smuggling operation, resulting in the revelation of eight of the nine missing migrants, prosecutors said. Melissa Jenelle Cota, 33; Gustavo Lara, 32; and Sergio Rojas-Fregoso, 31, the drivers of these vehicles, face charges of transporting undocumented immigrants, carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
What’s next
the investigation into the panga boat capsizing and related smuggling operation is ongoing. Authorities continue to search for the remaining unidentified victim and are working to determine the full scope of the smuggling network.