Nine people were detained after after a panga boat washed ashore in Laguna Beach on Thursday morning.

According to the Laguna Beach Police Department, officers, lifeguards and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers were notified about the boat at 7 a.m. on Thursday. The panga boat was found near West Street Beach in South Laguna Beach. Officers conducted a search on the beach and on the cliff and found two adult males in “take-away” vehicles parked on Pacific Coast Highway, which were believed to be picking up the panga boat passengers.

Officers obtained a cell phone video shot from a cliff above the beach showing 13 people fleeing from the boat.

 

 

Seven of the boat passengers were detained and two of the adult male drivers were caught by police.

Sergeant Jim Cota of the Laguna Police Department said the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency will continue to handle the case.