EAGLE PASS, Texas — An Ecuadorian migrant lost his life while trying to cross the swollen Rio Grande with his wife and son. The family attempted to ford the river near the international bridge connecting to Piedras Negras on Wednesday afternoon. As the family attempted their crossing, the man’s wife and son were swept down-river. The man managed to save his son before disappearing under the current.
Authorities in Mexico were alerted to the incident after a passerby heard pleas for help. Grupo Beta, a rescue unit operating opposite Eagle Pass arrived at the location and pulled the man’s wife and son onto shore using an airboat.
Officers from Mexico’s National Immigration Institute (INM) say the wife and 5-year-old son were taken to a hospital in Piedras Negras for treatment. According to a source within CBP, an immediate search was initiated on both sides of the border to locate the father but has yielded no results.
Recent rains have caused the river to rise beyond its normal level, making fords more treacherous than usual. Bi-national search and rescue operations are not uncommon in the area. In September, nine migrants drowned while attempting to cross the Rio Grande in one incident alone.
According to CBP, nearly 900 migrants died along the southwest border in 2022. Although a record-breaking number, the data is not exhaustive. The number does not include migrants recovered by authorities in Mexico or by United States law authorities in border municipalities that do not involve the Border Patrol.
The number of migrant deaths due to the record increase in crossings has overwhelmed a funeral home in Eagle Pass in recent months. As reported by Breitbart Texas, the home charged with accepting the recovered migrants reached capacity in August. Local authorities were forced to temporarily store the deceased in vehicles until a mass burial alleviated the situation.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
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