The US Coast Guard said it rescued 16 people from the Pacific Ocean after a boat sank off Mexico's Baja peninsula, while a search was under way for 11 people believed to still be missing.
According to the Coast Guard, the agency responded to a Mayday call on Friday reporting a vessel was sinking. The boat got into trouble about 225 km (140 miles) west of Ensenada, Mexico.
Coast Guard Lieutenant Santiago Tamburini said a rescue helicopter reached the scene about two hours after someone aboard sent the Mayday at around 1 am (08:00 GMT) on Friday. The rescue crew, including a rescue swimmer, took about 90 minutes to pull the 16 people from the water.
The survivors are Mexican nationals, according to the Mexican consulate. One survivor is being treated for a suspected shark bite, and two others are in critical condition, authorities said.
The victims were flown by helicopter to San Diego, California, and taken to hospital. The Mexican consulate in San Diego said it had provided consular assistance.
The Coast Guard and the US Navy are continuing to search the area with two helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft, a cutter and a navy warship.
The boat sank in an area often used by smugglers to bring migrants to the United States, and which is also popular with fishing and recreational vessels. It is not yet clear where the boat departed from, its destination or its purpose. The Coast Guard said no vessel was found, only debris, and it was unclear what type of boat was involved.
"Boats in that area could be for fishing, recreation or personal pleasure. We just don't know what they were doing out there. We all know this is a suspected smuggling route," Tamburini said.
