Injured Migrant Rescued After Falling from Cliff near Border in Arizona

Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents rescued a migrant after he fell from a cliff in the Patagonia Mountains. The migrant became immobilized from his injuries for two days prior to being rescued by the agents.

Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John Modlin tweeted images of a dramatic rescue in the Patagonia Mountain Region in southern Arizona. The rugged terrain is only accessible by UTVs, the chief stated.

The rescue effort came after agents received information about a migrant who fell from a cliff and had been immobilized for two days. A search of the area by agents on UTVs led to the rescue of the injured migrant abandoned by human smugglers.

The agents transported the migrant out of the mountains to an awaiting ambulance. The EMC crew from the Rio Rico Fire Department transported the migrant to a nearby hospital.

During Fiscal Year 2021 (which ended on September 30), Border Patrol agents rescued nearly 13,000 migrants. The record-shattering number of rescues exceeds the totals of FY20 (5,071) and FY19 (4,920) combined.

Elsewhere in the sector, Wilcox agents attempted to stop a vehicle suspected of human smuggling. The driver fled from the agents and eventually crashed. Agents later caught up to the crash scene and found three migrants. The agents turned the smuggling vehicle over to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.