Authorities arrest 14 illegal immigrants

Illegal immigrants were arrested at El Morro beach after a panga was spotted offshore early Saturday morning.

Border Patrol agents arrested 14 Mexican nationals. They believe four fled in the vessel, which was not seized. They have no information on the other four.

The boat was spotted off the coastline about 5 a.m., said Jerry Conlin, supervisor border patrol agent.

“There was a search and they had to stop after a certain amount of time,” he said.

The search was a joint effort with Laguna Beach and Newport Beach Police departments.

— Joanna Clay