Five migrants were saved recently by a Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue team as they attempted to cross a perilous section of the Rio Grande.
The migrants can be seen desperately treading water in a video shared by Chief Patrol Agent Jason Owens as a Border Patrol agent leaps from the back of a jet ski to rescue them.
The episode is the most recent illustration of the hazardous circumstances that a record number of migrants encounter as they attempt to cross the southern border, including intense heat, hazardous terrain, and choppy waterways.
13 migrants perished last week while attempting to cross the Rio Grande close to Eagle Pass, Texas. As authorities worked to recover the bodies, dozens of additional migrants were detained on both the US and Mexican sides of the border.
“The currents of the Rio Grande have become more dangerous due to recent and continuing rainfall and more rain is forecasted for the coming week. Despite these adverse conditions, U.S. Border Patrol, Del Rio Sector continues to encounter more than 100+, 200+ attempting to cross the Rio Grande daily.”
53 migrants perished in a hot tractor trailer in San Antonio in June after being confined inside.
In May, there were a record number of close to 240,000 encounters with migrants at the border.
In July, the Border Patrol encountered 199,976 migrants, a modest decline from the 207,416 encountered in June.
