NEW DELHI: A helicopter carrying three National Guard members and a Border Patrol agent crashed along the US-Mexico border in Texas on Friday, killing three of the people on board, according to a county official.
The crash happened in La Grulla, a small town in Texas, according to Lieutenant Christopher Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Olivarez refrained from disclosing further details and redirected inquiries to US Customs and Border Protection.
La Grulla is in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley.The Starr County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook on Friday that it was assisting with a “downed helicopter incident” on the east side of the county.
Border Patrol spokespersons did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Authorities reported that in January a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter, which was patrolling the state’s border with Mexico, experienced power failure and subsequently crashed. The co-pilot sustained a minor hand injury, and the helicopter sustained significant damage.
The helicopter was engaged in Operation Lone Star, a border mission spearheaded by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, costing nearly $10 billion. This initiative has posed challenges to the federal government’s jurisdiction over immigration.