Five Mexican nationals were arrested after they abandoned a boat on the shore of South Mission Beach Wednesday afternoon, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.
The boat, which appeared to be the type used for fishing, was left stranded on the shore near the jetty at the south end of the beach. Lifeguards responded to the beached boat at around 3:30 p.m., according to the Border Patrol.
A witness said she saw a group of 10 to 15 people running on the beach, away from the boat, but couldn't tell if they were once passengers of it.
"I looked out my window and I saw a boat bobbing and weaving in the white water, then I saw people running up the beach. Maybe 10 or 15 people, and they seemed to have dispersed. It didn't seem like regular beachgoers," beachgoers Elfie Segal said.
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In the beach parking lot nearby, three men were seen being detained by Border Patrol agents. The agency said those three, plus two more men who were also detained, were Mexican nationals.
San Diego lifeguards tied a rope to the vessel's anchor to keep it from drifting off of the beach.
