U.S. Border Patrol agents rescued six illegal immigrants in the Jacumba Wilderness region in Ocotillo, CA.
On June 12, 2020 Border Patrol agents working the mountainous area were performing their assigned duties when they noticed smoke in an area that is notorious for the smuggling of immigrants and narcotics. This area is not accessible by vehicle, and agents patrol this rugged region by hiking through the terrain on foot.
At approximately 12:12 p.m., BORSTAR (Border Search Trauma and Rescue) agents reached the area where the smoke was coming from, approximately 5 miles south of the nearest highway. Upon arriving, agents observed six individuals, one of which was a woman who was laying on the ground.
Seeing that the woman was in distress, BORSTAR agents immediately requested Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and began to render medical aid. Agents informed EMS that the woman was severely dehydrated.
Other individuals in the group stated that they had been lost for three days and started a fire in an attempt to signal for help. Agents requested air support from an Air and Marine operations unit to transport the individuals to a rally point where EMS awaited.
BORSTAR Paramedics and EMS evaluated and treated all six subjects. All six individuals, were illegal immigrants from Mexico. They were all expelled to their country of origin after medical evaluation. Local fire assets extinguished the fire.
