YUMA, Ariz. – Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents from Wellton rescued two men lost in the desert and out of water on Wednesday afternoon.
and Border Protection
At approximately 5:44 p.m., Wellton Station received information concerning a 911 phone call regarding two subjects claiming to be in distress. Due to the caller being able to provide their Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Coordinates, an Air and Marine Operations AS350 crew from the Yuma Air Branch was able to make visual contact of two male subjects within a short time, while ground agents arrived moments later.
Wellton agents conducted an immigration and criminal history screening on the two subjects. The 27-year-old Guatemalan male and a 30-year-old Mexican male were medically screened and refused medical attention. Both subjects were expelled under Title 42 Authority.
While Yuma Sector Agents make every effort to expedite rescues, these are not typical timeframes in the vast desert. Most times subjects are not able to provide coordinates, and sometimes they provide vague information or the information is relayed third hand, as callers may no longer have cellular service or sufficient battery life. This is the fourth rescue Yuma Sector Agents have performed in the past two weeks.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Individuals can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Reporting illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.