Tucson, Ariz— A U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations Tucson Air Branch UH-60 crew conducted its’ second rescue in a week in the Baboquivari Peak Wilderness area.
Tucson Air Station received a Search and Rescue request, Sept. 22, to aid an individual who called 911 for help near Baboquivari Peak. The aircrew departed with a Border Patrol Tactical Unit and located the individual.
The crew conducted 2 hoist insertions of the AMO Rescue Specialist and a BORTAC team member, followed by 3 hoist extractions of the AMO RS, BORTAC team member and individual in distress.
The aircrew transferred the individual to ground agents for processing where the rescued alien reported that he contacted 911 because he had wanted to give up. The man had no outstanding medical conditions or injuries.
Just days before, on Sept.20, a Tucson Air Branch UH-60 crew rescued another alien in distress in the foothills of the Baboquivari Mountains by leveraging the aircraft’s hoist capability. Air and Marine Operations uses the hoist-equipped UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter to conduct search and rescue operations over land which allows aircrew to recover, assess and stabilize injured persons.
Air and Marine Operations agents continue to execute rescue missions despite risks to personal safety presented by terrain, weather, and potential illness carried by those they save. During this fiscal year, Tucson-based aircrews have rescued 42 individuals.
“AMO Agents have years of experience in high-stress, dynamic scenarios, with aircrew duties range from hoisting injured persons from dangerous conditions to performing emergency medical treatment in potentially life-threatening situations,” said Michael Montgomery, director, Air and Marine Operations at the Tucson Air Branch. “Our Agents routinely demonstrate the flexibility of Customs and Border Protection mission, which can rapidly evolve from a law enforcement response to a humanitarian rescue.”
Air and Marine Operations 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 FY 2019, AMO enforcement actions resulted in the approximate seizure or disruption of 284,825 pounds of cocaine; 101,874 pounds of marijuana; 51,058 pounds of methamphetamine; 935 weapons and $34.1 million. AMO enforcement actions also facilitated 1,575 arrests and 52,036 apprehensions of illegal aliens.
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