LA GRULLA, Texas (AP) — Tragedy struck the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas as a helicopter involved in the border security mission crashed on Friday, claiming the lives of two National Guard soldiers and a Border Patrol agent. Another soldier on board sustained injuries.
The UH-72 Lakota helicopter, assigned to federal border security efforts, went down near Rio Grande City during mid-afternoon aviation operations, according to a statement from Joint Task Force North. The incident is currently under investigation, with no specific details provided.
Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, the top official in the county, mentioned that the occupants included one woman and three men, with the injured person in critical condition. The names of the deceased have not been released at this time.
Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the head of the National Guard Bureau, expressed condolences in a post on X, extending sympathies to the families, friends, and colleagues of the victims, while offering prayers for the swift recovery of the injured soldier.
“We mourn these heartbreaking deaths,” Hokanson’s post stated. “They are a tragic loss beyond words. All of these people represent selfless service & the best of America.”
Requests for comments from Border Patrol spokespersons have not been immediately returned.
The crash site is located in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and the Starr County Sheriff’s Office confirmed its assistance in a Facebook post on Friday regarding a “downed helicopter incident” on the east side of the county. Vera reported that the scene was secured by the sheriff’s office, with federal officials en route.
The border area is heavily monitored by both state and federal authorities, with routine aerial surveillance as part of their operations.
This incident follows a previous helicopter crash in January, where a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter patrolling the state’s border with Mexico experienced power loss and crashed. The co-pilot suffered a minor hand injury, and the helicopter sustained significant damage. This helicopter was involved in Operation Lone Star, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s nearly $10 billion border mission, challenging federal authority over immigration.
