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  4. CBP Air Crew Rescues Missing Hikers

CBP Air Crew Rescues Missing Hikers

Release Date
Tue, 08/28/2012

Tucson, Ariz. - Two male hikers, ages 77 and 43, missing in northern Sabino Canyon near the Palisades hiking trail, were located yesterday in a remote area of Molino Canyon and airlifted to safety by a helicopter crew from Customs and Border Protection's Office of Air and Marine (OAM) in Tucson.

OAM's Tucson Air Branch launched an AS-350 (A-Star) crew Monday afternoon to assist the Pima County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue team in locating the missing hikers whose last known whereabouts was in northern Sabino Canyon near the Palisades hiking trail.

The A-Star crew found the missing hikers in a remote area of Molino Canyon and was able to find a safe landing zone nearby. Initial contact with the hikers revealed both were ambulatory and coherent. The hikers were then flown to another location where they were transferred to the care of PCSD's Search and Rescue team.

This fiscal year the Tucson Air Branch has participated in the rescues of more than 234 people.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021