COACHELLA, Calif. –Tuesday, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station rescued a distressed man who was lost in the desert without food or water while making an attempt to illegally enter the United States.
The incident began at approximately 8:45 p.m., when Border Patrol Radio Dispatch received a call from the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) advising them of a 911 distress call from a man who stated he had illegally crossed into the U.S. near La Rumorosa, Baja California. The man told dispatchers that he had crossed six days earlier, was lost and without water, and had resorted to drinking his own urine.
Using Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates from the man’s cell phone, ICSO was able to establish an approximate location of the man. The man’s approximate location was provided to the El Centro Sector Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) Unit along with Indio Station agents which collaborated in efforts to search the area.
At approximately 11p.m., during a systematic search of the area, the man was discovered in an area between the Coachella Canal and Highway 111. BORSTAR agents performed a medical evaluation of the man who appeared to be suffering from dehydration and exhaustion and was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.
The 33-year-old man, a Mexican national, was cleared and released from the hospital and will be processed for removal from the U.S.
The El Centro Sector’s Community Awareness Campaign is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness on the indicators of crime and other threats. We encourage public and private sector employees to remain vigilant and play a key role in keeping our country safe. Please report any suspicious activity to the Border Community Threat Hotline at 1-800-901-2003.