Coast Guard rescue swimmer Josh Law plunged into the dark Pacific, pulling 16 Mexicans to safety 140 miles off Baja California on Oct. 16, after two hours of relentless waves.
The helicopter hovered 40 feet above the surf, its searchlight cutting through the night‑vision gloom as waves hit 6‑8 feet (1.8‑2.4 m) high. Law, in a dry suit that filled to his knees, used a buddy‑tow method, turning each survivor onto their back and guiding them toward a basket lowered by the aircraft.
Lieutenant Miyako Miller, the pilot, relied on night‑vision goggles and star bearings to keep the craft steady, while the flight mechanic kept the basket’s rope taut. The crew worked in tandem, lowering the basket, hoisting each survivor aboard, and repeating until all 16 were aboard before the helicopter diverted to San Diego for medical support.
A joint U.S., Mexican, and Navy search covered 2,441 sq mi (6,322 sq km) over 89 hours; still, 11 people remained unaccounted for. The operation was called off late Sunday, with teams exhausted and fuel dwindling.
US Customs and Border Protection is interviewing the rescued, who are all Mexican nationals, while the Coast Guard initiates a formal investigation into the vessel’s failure. The survivors will be processed under U.S. immigration law as authorities seek to determine whether engine failure, a navigational error, or another factor caused the tragedy.