Winterhaven, California - An El Centro Sector Border Patrol agent assigned to the Calexico Station rescued two faltering migrants who attempted to swim across the All-American Canal while making illegally entry into the United States on Tuesday.
“Our agents often rescue migrants who are put in nightmarish and grave situations by ruthless smugglers,” said El Centro Chief Patrol Agent Rodney S. Scott. “I commend the agents of the Calexico Station for their quick response and selfless dedication to save these two people from almost certain death had they been swept into the nearby hydro-electric plant’s intake system.”
The incident occurred approximately 18 miles east of the Calexico Downtown Port of Entry at around 7:35 p.m. Border Patrol Remote Video Surveillance System (RVSS) operators observed a man and woman enter the All-American Canal near the Drop 3 Hydro-electric Plant.
The man appeared to be pulling the woman across the canal by using an inner tube as a flotation device. Border Patrol agents were dispatched to the area. An agent noticed that the man and woman appeared to succumb to the canal’s frigid waters and strong current. The pair perilously clung to safety buoys in a last ditch effort to keep from being sucked into the hydro-electric plant.
Upon seeing the couples’ precarious situation, an agent entered the water and single-handedly rescued the man and woman.
The agent, who is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician as part of the Border Patrol’s Emergency Medical Response Program, examined the pair and determined that they did not require any further medical treatment.
The couple, both Mexican nationals, will be processed for removal from the U.S.
The El Centro Sector’s Community Awareness Campaign is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness on the indicators of crime and other threats. We encourage public and private sector employees to remain vigilant and play a key role in keeping our country safe. Please report any suspicious activity to the Border Community Threat Hotline at 1-800-901-2003.
