Suspected migrant boat lands at Victoria Beach in Laguna

One of the most famous spots in the city of Laguna Beach, Victoria Beach is a magnet for locals, tourists and the occasional local celebrity.

On Monday, however, lifeguards found something they don't usually see on the sand: an abandoned, broken panga-like boat full of life jackets and gasoline cans. Authorities believe the boat was used to smuggle migrants across the border.

The lifeguards' morning shift spotted the boat when they arrived around 6:20 a.m.

“It was a 24-foot single outboard boat that ran aground and capsized,” said Kai Bond, chief of Laguna Beach Marine Safety.

There was “no sign of anyone associated with the boat,” Bond said. Lifeguards searched the beach and water and found “no signs of distress.”

It took officials about six hours to remove the dilapidated watercraft from the beach, he said.

Steven Day, a local resident, was one of the first to spot the boat in the morning.

The beach was particularly crowded this summer after being “hyped up by social media,” he said. The day before the landing, the beach had been teeming with people as a volleyball tournament took place.

When he saw the boat early Monday morning, it was empty.

At around 6:30 a.m., U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials were notified of the abandoned watercraft on the beach, agency spokeswoman Gerrelaine Alcordo said in a statement.

Agents found “12 life jackets and 10 gasoline cans on board the ship,” Alcordo said. No arrests were made.

The ship was seized on suspicion of violating federal law prohibiting the entry of foreign nationals outside of designated ports of entry, Alcordo said.

Migrant smugglers' boat docks are not uncommon on California's southern coast, officials said, but Victoria Beach is not a typical arrival point.

It's been a busy summer in Laguna Beach. Increased tourism has brought trash, traffic and irritated tempers to the community; residents say the crowds overwhelmed the city at the start of the pandemic and have not let up since.

In a viral TikTok video posted in July, a homeowner yelled at a family on Victoria Beach, telling them they were on her private property while they were trying to enjoy the beach.

“Move, damn it!” the woman shouted at the family, which included a child. “Get out of here. Now!”