Two people have been rescued in separate incidents after being stranded in remote areas of the desert in southern Arizona, authorities said.
The first incident took place on Saturday when Tucson Sector Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents, along with help from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a call from a hiker stranded near the Superstition Mountains, east of Phoenix, after they suffered a “potentially broken ankle and were unable to walk,” according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Monday.
“Aboard Pinal Air 1, the rescue team quickly located the injured hiker,” authorities said. “Due to challenging, mountainside terrain, to evaluate the hiker, a BORSTAR agent was lowered to the ground using the helicopter’s hoist. The hiker was then rescued via hoist and taken to a safe landing zone for further evaluation.”
In a second and separate incident the following day, agents assigned to the Sonoita Border Patrol Station “responded to a call from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office for a lost and injured hiker on the Arizona Trail near Pauline Ridge,” according to CBP.
“A U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations helicopter located the hiker, but rugged terrain and dense foliage prevented the helicopter from landing, and the rescue was conducted by agents on the ground,” officials said.
After reaching the hiker’s location, agents discovered that the unnamed man had been lost for two days. They were able to provide immediate medical aid and transported him to the Sonoita-Elgin Fire Department for further evaluation and treatment.
“I am incredibly proud of our agents’ swift and professional response to these incidents,” said Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean L. McGoffin. “These rescues are a testament to their training, teamwork and unwavering commitment to public safety. Our agents and teams continuously demonstrate their dedication to saving people’s lives.”
