Injured Migrant Rescued in California Wilderness near Border

El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents teamed up with other local and federal assets to rescue an injured migrant near the California border with Mexico. The search and rescue effort led to saving the life of a migrant who injured his ankle shortly after crossing the border near Ocotillo, California on Thursday morning.

El Centro Sector agents encountered a group of migrants who entered the Jacumba Wilderness area near Ocotillo on the morning of November 11, according to information obtained from Border Patrol officials. The agents interviewed the three migrants in the group and learned that a fourth migrant fell behind after injuring his ankle.

Mountain Disrupt Unit, BORSTAR & @CBPAMO rescue migrant in joint effort.

After apprehending a group, agents were informed of a migrant that was left behind & injured. Agents backtracked the group, found the migrant & brought him to air support.

✅ https://t.co/yrsfYIn21I pic.twitter.com/QA864Fgfsh

— USBP Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino (@USBPChiefELC) November 17, 2021

The agents began a search and rescue effort and found the injured migrant by walking back along the other migrants’ trail. During a welfare check, the agents determined the migrant sustained an ankle injury and could no longer walk.

An Air and Marine Operations helicopter aircrew from the San Diego Air Branch with a Border Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) trained Border Patrol agent on board, flew to the scene and airlifted the injured migrant from the wilderness area. The aircrew flew the migrant to an EMS medical crew in Ocotillo who then transported the migrant to a local hospital.

Doctors treated the injured migrant and later cleared him for release to Border Patrol agents. The agents then transported the migrant to the El Centro Sector Processing Center.

Officials did not disclose the nationality of the four rescued migrants.