Maritime Monster All Jobs Moored Here
A Mexican national who was the skipper of a small boat that capsized during an immigrant-smuggling attempt at California’s southern maritime boundary has been sentenced to a long term in prison. David Alfonso Barrera Nunes, 38, will serve 57 months for the deaths of five immigrants in the well-publicized casualty off San Diego.
On November 4, 2025, Nunes attempted to smuggle nine immigrants into the United States. The U.S. Border Patrol agents got notification of a small vessel that was crossing north from Mexico, heading towards Imperial Beach.
The agents went ahead with an attempt to intercept the vessel, but were unsuccessful due to dense fog that significantly limited visibility. Minutes later, the officers realized the boat had capsized and its occupants were in peril. Nunes was among the survivors and managed to swim, emerge from the water and run inland from the beach. Meanwhile, the officers conducted a search and found four bodies in the water. A fifth body washed up in the surf days later and was identified as the co-pilot of the vessel.
FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE HERE: maritime-executive.com
