TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents in southern Arizona rescued 26 migrants Wednesday afternoon in the Tabletop Mountains, approximately 6 miles south of Interstate 8.
After receiving a 911 call from a group of migrants in distress, agents from the Casa Grande Border Patrol Station and Tucson Sector BORSTAR responded to the area, assisted by Air and Marine Operations Tucson Air Branch and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
Of the 26 migrants located, several required immediate treatment for heat related illnesses. Four were flown to a local hospital for severe dehydration. Temperatures that day surpassed 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
As the peak of summer approaches, heat becomes a major concern. Anyone in immediate distress in Arizona’s vast outdoor recreational and wilderness areas is urged to call 911 or to seek out a rescue beacon. U.S. Customs and Border Protection works closely with other federal, tribal, state and local partners to resolve search and rescue operations across southern Arizona.
For more details regarding this news release, contact the Tucson Sector Public Affairs Office at tca-pao@cbp.dhs.gov or by phone at 520-748-3210. Tucson Sector is also LiveU capable. Contact us to schedule an interview.
stranded south of Gila Bend