Another Migrant Drowns in Texas Border River

Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents recovered yet another body of a migrant who appears to have drowned while illegally crossing the Rio Grande border river. This is the fifth such drowning in this sector this fiscal year.

Marine agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Border Patrol station encountered a body in the Rio Grande about one mile from a legal port of entry. It appears the migrant attempted to illegally cross the river that separates the U.S. from Mexico, according to information obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.

The marine agents worked with Eagle Pass Fire Department rescue teams to recover the body of the deceased migrant.

“Del Rio Sector has rescued over 200 people this fiscal year, an increase of over 800 percent from the same time last year,” Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Raul L. Ortiz said in a written statement. “Even with our agents on patrol and making these rescues, the Rio Grande is unforgiving and will take its toll.”

“Any loss of life is tragic and this unfortunate event serves as a reminder of the dangers present when crossing the Rio Grande,” the chief stated.

Officials did not disclose any information about the deceased migrant.

Del Rio Sector officials reported this is the fifth water-related death in the sector this fiscal year. Fiscal Year 2018 began on October 1, 2018, and runs through September 30, 2019.

Most recently, Del Rio Sector agents recovered another body in roughly the same area as this weeks discovery, Breitbart News reported.

Agents also recovered the first migrant’s body just five days before Christmas, Breitbart News reported. The migrant appeared to have drowned while illegally crossing the border in an area where no physical barrier exists.

On Valentine’s Day, agents recovered a second who died while crossing from Piedras Negras, Coahuila. This was about the time a group of caravan migrants arrived on the Mexican side of the border.

About a week later, the Eagle Pass marine agents recovered yet another body. Agents were not able to identify any of the deceased migrants at the time of their respective recoveries.

In addition to the four drowning deaths, at least two others died after illegally crossing the border.

Del Rio Sector agents also conducted marine rescue operations that saved the lives of dozens in distress while attempting to cross from Mexico. Many of those rescues included young children.

Since the beginning of April, at least 42 migrants died while or after crossing the border from Mexico into Texas–at least 77 nationally, according to the International Organization for Migrants’ Missing Migrant Project. This number is expected to rise during the summer months as cartel-connected human smugglers push large groups into the remote areas of the Texas-New Mexico-Arizona border areas.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.