4 dead, nearly 2 dozen hospitalized as boat capsize off San Diego coast

A boat crash off the coast of San Diego has resulted in four deaths and nearly two dozen hospitalizations

The initial report said there was just one person aboard the distressed ship. However, rescuers said there were as many as 30 people involved. James Gartland, the lifeguard chief for the city of San Diego, said the vessel hit a reef and broke. 

"There are people in the water drowning, getting sucked by currents, people on shore," Romero told reporters at a news conference.

According to Romero, seven people were in the water, two of whom drowned. The remaining passengers were taken to local hospitals with "hypothermia and injuries from the vessel breaking.

At least three people needed CPR, according to Gartland.

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Weather conditions, which caused the boat to break apart, also hindered the rescue efforts, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. There were seven-foot swells, low clouds and some rain.

Divers could not go in the water because the weather was so bad.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is investigating the crash since it took place in federal waters. 

According to a spokesperson for Sharp Memorial Hospital and Sharp Grossmont Hospital, eight people were injured in the crash, with the majority of the injuries stemming from passengers hitting rocks in the ocean. Three of the Sharp Grossmont Hospital patients are scheduled to be discharged, while the rest are in stable condition.