Navy Reports Rising Number of Migrants Abandoned at Sea by Smugglers ABC News
go to original April 29, 2013

2012 was record year for maritime smuggling into California from Mexico. (KPBSSanDiego)

MEXICO CITY - The Mexican navy said Monday it has detected a disturbing trend of migrant smugglers abandoning boatloads of people at sea off the coast of Baja California.

The Navy said that each month it has been finding an average of 10 to 12 boats, with a total of about out 150 migrants. It did not say when the discoveries began, or why the smugglers might have adopted the tactic. However, smugglers sometimes demand payment for such trips up front, leaving them little incentive to get passengers all the way to the United States.

The Navy said the boats' captains abandoned the vessels aboard other craft, telling migrants the motors or other equipment had broken down and they would be back.

The smugglers then left the migrants adrift, often in overcrowded boats without food or radios, putting their lives at risk.

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