Tour boat carrying 44 people capsizes in Gulf of California, Mexico

Tour boat carrying 44 people capsizes in Gulf of California, Mexico

2011-07-04 20:12:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

MEXICALI, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- A tour boat carrying 44 people off the northwestern Mexican Coast on Monday went missing after an unexpected storm hit the area, officials said.

The boat capsized and sank at around 2:30 a.m. local time, approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) into the Gulf of California after parting from San Felipe, which is located in the Mexican state of Baja California, due to the unexpected strong winds crashing into the boat, officials from the Mexican Navy said. The accident occurred near the Salvatierra Islands between the states of Baja California and Sonora.

While Mexican Naval officials said 44 people were on board, including 27 U.S. nationals and 17 Mexican crew members, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Pamela Boehland told CNN that 43 people were on board although both sources coincided that 27 of them were Americans. As information remains unclear, reports indicate that emergency teams were able to rescue 37 people, while one person was found dead and 6 others remain missing.

'Erick,' the 35-meter (114-foot) boat, was owned by Gustavo Velez and was conducting a sport fishing tour. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is expected to arrive in the area to assist search and rescue teams.

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