The search continued on Saturday for a soldier swept away by the Rio Grande as he tried to rescue migrants struggling in the water along the U.S. border.
The service member was working a mission in Eagle Pass, a city that shares a border with the Mexican state of Coahuila. On Friday, he “selflessly attempted to help two migrants who appeared to be drowning as they illegally crossed the river from Mexico to the United States,” according to a press release from the Texas Military Department.
The soldier has not been seen since. His name has not been released, though his family was notified about his disappearance on Friday.
At the time of the incident, the national guardsman was assigned to Operation Lone Star, an initiative launched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to combat what he called a crisis at the border.
Abbott in a statement said his office is working “with the Texas National Guard and other law enforcement agencies as they search for the missing soldier in Eagle Pass. Updates will be provided as additional details become available.”
Personnel for the Texas Military Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol have all joined in the search efforts, with the Texas Rangers and TMD leading a probe into the incident.
After a preliminary investigation by the Texas Rangers, officers suspect that both migrants were “involved in illicit transnational narcotics trafficking.” They remain in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
“The search for the missing TMD soldier will continue until we have exhausted all available resources,” a press release reads. “The Texas Military Department is thankful to all interagency partners for their continued support in this operation to locate our missing soldier. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the soldier.”
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