TUCSON, Ariz. – Multiple agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, assisted by Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers, rescued a 24-year-old Guatemalan woman stranded in the Baboquivari Mountains early Tuesday.
At approximately 6 a.m., Tucson Border Patrol Station agents received a 9-1-1 call from a distressed migrant who had entered the U.S. illegally but became lost and too exhausted to continue her journey.
Shortly after receiving the call, an aircrew from CBP’s Air and Marine Operations took off from Davis Monthan Air Force Base with a member of Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue on board. They were soon joined by an Arizona DPS Ranger 54 helicopter to assist with the search. Both aircrews were able to determine the woman’s approximate location thanks to GPS coordinates generated by the 9-1-1 system.
Agents located the woman a few hours later, conscious but severely dehydrated. A BORSTAR paramedic treated the woman for dehydration but determined she needed additional care. The Arizona DPS helicopter crew then transported her to an awaiting ambulance near Three Points for transport to a local hospital.
Once released from the hospital, the woman will be processed for immigration violations in accordance with Tucson Sector guidelines.
Due to the extreme heat, Tucson Sector Border Patrol officials continue to warn that summer is an especially dangerous time to be stranded in Arizona’s desert. Anyone in need of emergency assistance should call 9-1-1 immediately as dehydration can be deadly if not treated. Agents rescued 29 people during the long holiday weekend (June 30-July 5)