Video release: air and marine operations aircraft locate and rescue a lost migrant in the baboquivari mountains

VIDEO RELEASE: Air and Marine Operations Aircraft Locate and Rescue a Lost Migrant in the Baboquivari Mountains

Posted by
1 min read
February 15, 2022

TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Air and Marine Operations (AMO) agents use multiple aircraft to locate and rescued an injured migrant in distress from a remote location in the Baboquivari Mountains on Friday.

 

On February 11, a National Guard helicopter on patrol in support of border security efforts located a person, three miles north of the border in the Baboquivari Mountains, lying on the ground and waving at them who appeared to be in distress and relayed the person’s position to the Arizona Air Coordination Center (A2C2).  At approximately 7:45 p.m. the A2C2 requested an AMO UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the and aircrew Tucson Air Branch respond to rescue the migrant.  Also, on patrol that night was an AMO Multi-role Enforcement Aircraft with an onboard FLIR (forward looking infrared) system.  The MEA was able to find the person in the austere mountainous terrain and conduct reconnaissance for the responding helicopter.

 

At approximately 8:00 p.m., the AMO Black Hawk crew arrived in the area and determined that due to the terrain and nighttime conditions that a landing wasn’t possible. The Black Hawk aircrew performed a hazardous nighttime 80-foot hoist to insert an agent to assess the migrant injuries. Once the migrant was ready for extraction the agent and the migrant were hoisted back up to the helicopter, and the migrant and agent were secured back in the aircraft. The migrant was transported to the Border Patrol facility near San Miguel, Arizona to determine if further medical attention was necessary.

 

“Even while our Tucson aircrews were patrolling the skies over Los Angeles in support of Super Bowl XVI, the work continues here in Southern Arizona” said Director of Air Operations, Tucson Air Branch, Michael Montgomery.  “Every day is game day for CBP agents and officers on the defensive line keeping America safe.  From inspecting goods and people, to intercepting drugs and criminals; protecting America, the mission never ends.”

 

AMO safeguards our Nation by anticipating and confronting security threats through our aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships at the border and beyond. With federal agents and mission support personnel, aircraft, and marine vessels operating throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, AMO conducts its mission in the air and maritime environments at and beyond the border, and within the nation’s interior.

 

Direct link:

https://dvidshub.net/r/65r9q9

 

CBP Search and Rescue Feature Page:

https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/CBPSAR

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss