Ranger Assists Customs & Border Patrol (CBP)

Southern Air Rescue assists the United States Border Patrol on a Search and Rescue Mission in the Baboquivari Mountains, which continues DPS’ effort in inter-agency support. 

On Wednesday, April 12th, at about 1:15pm, DPS Air Rescue (Ranger 54), out of Tucson, was requested by the United States Border Patrol to assist with a short haul extraction of four people, expected of being in the country illegally, that had reportedly all fallen off a cliff and had sustained multiple injuries.

The first aircraft en route to the location was a CBP hoist equipped helicopter. Air Rescue was kept on standby in the possibility that the CBP helicopter was unable to perform the rescue.

Ultimately, CBP was able to handle the four injured suspects, but Air Rescue was requested to short haul extricate the seven United States Border Patrol Agents, who were following the suspects. Ranger was able to land on a ridge line near the Agents, briefed the extraction anticipated process, and after multiple flights, was able to successfully extricate all seven Agents and fly them back to their command post. Their command post would have been about a three to four hour hike back in rugged terrain for the Agents from where the victims were rescued.

The successful mission lasted approximately five hours.

This mission is an example of many that does DPS does to assist with our local, state and federal partners.