7 rescued, 1 dead in failed smuggling attempt
Agents come across 26 undocumented immigrants after illegally crossing through a drainage culvert
OTAY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Border Patrol agents rescued seven people from a cross-border drainage culvert after being blocked by debris and floodwaters rose.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said the incident happened on January 29 around 3:30 p.m. Agents patrolling east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry saw a man clinging to a closed grate inside the drainage.
Agents said the grate had trash and debris, but when they opened it, water rushed through the opening, pushing a second man out along with the first.
When medical services and the fire department arrived at the scene, they found 10 Mexican nationals inside the drainage. Eight people required rescue efforts, but two of them were found responsive. Agents revived a woman, but the man was pronounced dead.
Paramedics took the woman and two others to nearby hospitals for treatment. The other six were taken to the station for processing.
More agents arrived at the scene when they saw the second group of 16 people rushing through the culvert.
“While I am grateful for the life-saving efforts of our agents and partners, this serves as a grim reminder of the inherent dangers of crossing the border illegally,” said Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke. “As our agents provided life-saving measures to the first abandoned group, the smugglers callously directed a second group into the culvert in an attempt to overwhelm agents – who nonetheless, got the job done.”
