TUCSON, Ariz.— A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) UH-60 aircrew rescued a man trapped in rugged terrain in the Baboquivari Mountain region on April 30.
The Tucson Air Branch aircrew was en route to a media event to demonstrate Search and Rescue procedures for visiting journalists. During the transit, the aircrew diverted to respond to reports of an undocumented migrant in distress in the remote mountain range.
The aircrew hoist extracted the man and transferred him to U.S. Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents for medical assessment and care. Air and Marine Operations crews have rescued 98 people since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2024 to April 25.
“Our aircrews are trained and capable of rapidly shifting from operational missions to humanitarian roles,” stated Jose R. Muriente, Deputy Director of Air and Marine Operations, Tucson Air Branch. “We planned to demonstrate how we, and our BORSTAR partners, respond to emergencies. Our combined team ended up saving a person’s life on the way to that demonstration.”
AMO safeguards our nation by anticipating and confronting security threats through our aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships at the border and beyond. With approximately 1,800 federal agents and mission support personnel, 240 aircraft and 300 marine vessels operating throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, AMO serves as the nation’s experts in airborne and maritime law enforcement.
In Fiscal Year 2023, AMO enforcement actions resulted in 1,004 arrests and 89,909 apprehensions of undocumented individuals, as well as the seizure or disruption of 256,883 pounds of cocaine, 2,049 pounds of fentanyl, 4,050 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,200 weapons, and $15.3 million.