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Texas National Guard soldier missing, presumed drowned following mission to rescue illegal migrants

The soldier was attempting to rescue a migrant from the waters at Eagle Pass

April 22, 2022 4:29pm

Updated: April 22, 2022 4:29pm

Texas National Guard solider is thought to have drowned Friday in his attempted to rescue migrants from a river along the U.S. border with Mexico, according to multiple reports Friday.

Fox News initially confirmed the incident with the Texas Department of Public Safety. 

The incident reportedly took place at Eagle Pass. The soldier's body has not yet been found, but the body of one of the migrant has. The Texas Military Department said in a statement that a solider assigned to Operation Lone Star "has gone missing along a river during a mission-related incident."

"The Texas Military Department, Texas DPS and Border Patrol are working rapidly to find the soldier," read the statement. 

The search is reportedly being treated as a drowning and dive teams are searching the water.

Recent video footage from the Daily Caller news outlet showed several illegal migrants calling for help as they were swept away by the waters of the Rio Grande.

The number of illegal migrants at the southern border is soaring as the area hits peak season for individuals showing up at entry points to the U.S. In March, reports of recorded entries at the border topped 221,000, the highest single month figure since President Joe Biden assumed office.