Agents Rescue 2 Small Children and 15 Adults in 5 Separate Events within 2 Days

OCOTILLO, Calif. – U.S. Border Patrol agents from El Centro Sector saved 12 illegal aliens in distress in the Jacumba Wilderness region and five illegal aliens in the Yuha Desert in five separate rescue events over the weekend.

The first incident occurred on Saturday at approximately 2:48 a.m., when El Centro Station received a telephone call from a woman from San Francisco.  The caller stated that her brother-in-law and another individual were lost in the desert near the Centinela State Prison.  The caller was advised to have his lost brother-in-law call 9-1-1 in order to obtain GPS coordinates.  The information was relayed to agents performing their assigned duties in the area and they responded to the location to begin searching for the pair.

At approximately 2:58 a.m., El Centro Sector Radio Communications (Dispatch) was called by Imperial County Sherriff’s Office (ICSO) and provided Dispatch with the newly acquired GPS coordinates of the lost individuals. This information was relayed to agents that were in route to search for the lost individuals.

At approximately 3:32 a.m., agents found the first individual and 28 minutes later, they found the second one.  Both were medically evaluated at the scene and did not require any medical attention.

The two men, both illegal aliens from Mexico, were taken to the rally point for processing and expelled back to their country of origin.

The second incident occurred Saturday at approximately 10:55 a.m., when Dispatch was notified by El Centro Sector Foreign Operations Branch (FOB), that they had received information from Grupo Beta, of a an individual in distress in the mountains approximately 43 miles west of Calexico.  Grupo Beta is a service by the National Institute of Migration of Mexico offering water, medical aid, and information to immigrants at risk.  Grupo Beta stated that they had found an individual who was lost and out of water for three days just south of the U.S./Mexico international border.  The individual also stated that he was traveling with someone else and could provide the general location of his missing companion.  Agents from the El Centro Station Mountain Disrupt Unit (MDU) as well as El Centro Sector BORSTAR (Border Search Trauma and Rescue) responded to the area to assist in the search.

At approximately 12:34 p.m., MDU and BORSTAR agents located the lost individual, provided water, medically evaluated him and determined he did not require medical attention.

The individual, an adult male and illegal alien from Mexico, was taken to the rally point for processing and expelled back to country of origin.

The third incident occurred Saturday at approximately 7:32 p.m., when Dispatch was notified by ICSO of a distress call made by a woman with her two young children.  The information was relayed to agents performing their assigned duties in the area and they responded to the location to begin searching for the family.

At approximately 8:01 p.m., agents located the trio and transported them to Highway 98, where Imperial County Fire Department Ocotillo substation and American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance were waiting for them.  AMR determined that no further medical attention was needed and cleared the trio.

The adult mother and her two children, eight and six years-of-age, all illegal aliens from Guatemala, where taken to the rally point for processing and expelled.  

The fourth incident occurred on Sunday at approximately 11:40 a.m., when Dispatch was notified by California Highway Patrol Communications (CHP) of a distress call made by a group of seven individuals. The individual stated he and six others were lost and out of water.  The information along with GPS coordinates was relayed to El Centro Station agents performing their assigned duties in the area and they responded to the location to begin searching for the group.

At approximately 12:15 p.m., an Air and Marine Operations (AMO) helicopter crew assigned to the San Diego Air and Marine Branch responded to a request from Dispatch to assist with the search.  At approximately 12:45 p.m., the helicopter crew arrived near the GPS coordinates and were able to locate the seven lost individuals.  The crew aboard the helicopter was able to guide agents on the ground to the location of the group.

Once located agents provided water, medically evaluated the group and determined that no further medical attention was needed.

The seven individuals, six adult males and one 16-year-old male, all illegal aliens from Mexico, where taken to the rally point for processing and expelled back to Mexico.

The fifth incident occurred Sunday at approximately 10:45 p.m., when Dispatch was notified by ICSO of a distress call made by a group of four individuals.  The group stated that they were dehydrated and in need of assistance.  The information along with GPS coordinates was relayed to El Centro Station agents performing their assigned duties in the area as well as BORSTAR.  They immediately responded to the location to begin searching for the group.

At approximately 11:31 p.m., BORSTAR agents were able to locate the four individuals.  BORSTAR agents provided water, medically evaluated the group and determined that no further medical attention was needed.

The four individuals, all adult males, all illegal aliens from Mexico, where taken to the rally point for processing and expelled back to Mexico.