On Friday, a Texas Army National Guard member assigned to Governor Greg Abbott’s highly publicized border project, Operation Lone Star, went missing after attempting to assist two drowning migrants in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass.
Just after 9:45 a.m., the soldier dove into the river. The soldier did not reappear after removing his body armor before crossing the Rio Grande.
Rescue attempts began shortly after the event, according to the records, with search crews in boats and aircraft. Divers arrived on the scene later in the morning, but the Guard member has yet to be located.
The search was still underway on Saturday, according to the Texas Military Department. The name of the missing soldier will be kept private until Texas officials formally identify him.
The two migrants were also attempting to illegally cross the river from Mexico into the United States, according to the agency. The migrants were involved in criminal transnational drugs trafficking, according to Texas Rangers, and are now in the custody of US Customs and Border Protection. Border Patrol and Customs.
Some commanders in the region have issued orders prohibiting troops from entering the water without a flotation device, according to two soldiers who sought anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press. Other units have outright forbidden entering the sea.
