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Jeff Stephenson, a Border Patrol agent, told reporters that the boat was a smuggling vessel, and the likely operator was in custody.

\"Smugglers don’t care about the people, they only care about their pockets,\" Stephenson told reporters.

The cause is under investigation, according to the Coast Guard. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is investigating the crash since it took place in federal waters.

ABC News' Chris Barry, Michelle Mendez and Sarah Hermina contributed to this report.

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