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Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue Saves Three Stranded Men in Chocolate Mountains

Release Date
Tue, 06/01/2010

Niland, Calif. - U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector rescued a group of men lost near the Chocolate Mountains in Niland, Calif.

On Friday at approximately 4:50 p.m., El Centro Sector received a call from the Imperial County Sheriff's Offices in regards to a person claiming to be in distress along with two other individuals.

Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents responded to the distress call and were on location shortly thereafter. At approximately 11:45 p.m. BORSTAR agents located the three individuals two miles north of the Coachella Canal Road on Gas Line Road.

Two of the three individuals were in stable condition. The third individual was evacuated by way of helicopter to El Centro Regional Medical Center for treatment of dehydration. The individual was treated and released from the hospital.

It was determined that all three individuals were Mexican citizens illegally present in the United States. They were all granted a voluntary return to Mexico upon processing.

BORSTAR is one facet of the U.S. Border Patrol's Border Safety Initiative (BSI), which was implemented as a proactive, bi-national strategy to reduce injuries, prevent fatalities, and ultimately make the border region safer for the communities they serve.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021