Imperial, California - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents rescued two distressed male Mexican citizens who were lost in the desert northwest of Imperial after they illegally entered into the United States on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m., when California Highway Patrol (CHP) notified Border Patrol that they received a 911 distress call from two men lost in the desert who claimed that they had only 50% battery power left on their phone and have been without water for two days. One of the men was reportedly in and out of consciousness. The men provided CHP with the GPS coordinates of their location. 

Border Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents where activated and immediately responded to their reported location and conducted a systematic search of the area.  At approximately 3:43 p.m., BORSTAR agents located the men in the rugged desert terrain.

BORSTAR agents performed a medical evaluation on the men and determined that they were cleared for travel and did not require further medical attention.

“This rescue is another reminder of the risks and dangers associated with illegally crossing into the United States, and can be attributed to the dedication and commitment of our agents to work tirelessly to protect and secure the Southwest Border,” said Miguel Garcia, Acting Special Operations Supervisor of the El Centro Sector.

The men’s ages are 55-years-old and 24-years-old, both citizens of Mexico.  They will be processed at a Border Patrol station and were later returned to Mexico.

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.