TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents rescued two undocumented border crossers and a recreational hiker in the past four days.
On April 16, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office received a late-night 911 call from a Mexican national lost near Whetstone, Arizona. Using a mobile camera system, Willcox Station Border Patrol agents spotted the subject and directed county rescue personnel to his location. The man, found suffering from severe dehydration, was transported via Life Flight to a local hospital.
On April 19, agents from the Nogales Border Patrol Station began searching for another Mexican national who called 911 in distress after illegally crossing the border east of Nogales. A CBP helicopter deployed to assist ground agents and, after a short search, located the caller. Agents moved in and determined that the victim required immediate medical attention. He was airlifted to a local hospital for treatment of severe dehydration.
A third rescue occurred April 20 after Cochise County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station and requested assistance to search for an elderly hiker in distress along the San Pedro River. The man, a United States Citizen, was located north of Charleston Rd. and was suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration. Agents transported the man to a road where he was met by emergency medical services and treated for his injuries at the scene.
Both undocumented subjects are being processed for removal, according to Tucson Sector guidelines. The hiker is recovering from his injuries.
Time is critical for anyone injured in Arizona’s desert as temperatures rise. Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents immediately shift from law enforcement to rescue mode when helping these victims. By working with local, state, tribal and other federal agencies, more lives are saved. Tucson Sector agents have already rescued 139 individuals in the first five months of fiscal year 2015.