Over the weekend, U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted two separate rescue operations in southern Arizona, assisting U.S. citizens stranded in remote desert regions.
The first rescue took place on Saturday, involving Tucson Sector Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. They responded to a call about a hiker stranded near the Superstition Mountains, east of Phoenix, who was reported to have a potentially broken ankle. Using a helicopter from Pinal Air 1, the rescue team located the injured hiker. Given the challenging terrain, the hiker was hoisted to safety by a BORSTAR agent and evaluated at a safe landing zone.
On Sunday, another operation occurred when agents from the Sonoita Border Patrol Station were alerted by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office about a lost and injured hiker on the Arizona Trail near Pauline Ridge. Despite the helicopter from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations locating the hiker, dense foliage and rugged terrain prevented a landing. Agents on the ground reached the hiker, who had been lost for two days, administered medical aid, and transported him to the Sonoita-Elgin Fire Department for further care.
Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean L. McGoffin commended the agents, stating, “I am incredibly proud of our agents’ swift and professional response to these incidents. These rescues are a testament to their training, teamwork and unwavering commitment to public safety. Our agents and teams continuously demonstrate their dedication to saving people’s lives.”
The Tucson Sector's rescue teams are focused on public safety, specifically in challenging environments. Updates and information from the Chief of Tucson Sector and U.S. Customs and Border Protection can be followed on the social media platform X and other CBP accounts.
Further information about U.S. Customs and Border Protection outlines it as the largest law enforcement organization in the nation, dedicated to protecting America’s borders and facilitating legal travel and trade.
