TUCSON – U.S. Border Patrol agents partnered with air crews to rescue medically distressed migrants in two separate events west of Tucson.
At approximately 11:00 a.m., agents from the Ajo Station encountered two subjects in a remote canyon in the Ajo Mountains. Two agents on scene, both certified emergency medical technicians, immediately recognized the need for a higher level of care.
A Pinal County Sheriff’s Office helicopter was dispatched to the scene and assisted agents by airlifting a 35-year-old Honduran man. The man was transported to a local hospital for a suspected bone fracture.
Later, agents from the Three Points Station, along with a team from Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue, Borstar, responded to a 911 call from two lost individuals. An Air and Marine Operations helicopter was sent to assist in the search.
A short time later, the helicopter spotted the two men and directed the agents to their location. The pair was suffering from severe dehydration and mild hypothermia.
Borstar agents provided with pair intravenous fluids and built a small fire to help stabilize the shivering men.
All of the men are in stable condition and facing federal immigration charges following their illegal entry in to the U.S.
Arizona’s desert is dangerous for those unprepared for its remote, harsh terrain, and unpredictable weather. The Border Patrol advises anyone in distress to call 911 or activate a rescue beacon as soon as possible.
