CBP agents rescue injured man, woman from storm drain in El Paso

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents helped rescue two people on Tuesday who were injured while hiding in El Paso’s storm drain system after reportedly entering the United States illegally.

CBP’s Confined Space Entry Team (CSET) was deployed following a report on Monday that five people who entered the country illegally were hiding in a storm drain near downtown El Paso. Later in the day, agents on bike patrol located three people exiting the storm drain system and learned that two more people were still inside and possibly injured.

“(Agents) learned that a female in that group was possibly injured,” a CBP release states. “The El Paso Fire Department (EPFD) was called to assist in the search for the two outstanding subjects. Joining EPFD was a team from the Border Patrol’s Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) Unit. An exhaustive search was conducted, but the subjects were not initially located.”

After hearing voices coming from the storm drain system, however, agents removed a drain cover and rescued a man who was injured inside.

“The man told agents that his wife was still in the drain, and unable to walk due to an injury she sustained,” the release stated. “He suspected it might be a broken ankle. Agents went back in the drain and located the injured female, An agent carried her out on his back while crawling out of the drainage system.”

The man and the woman were both transported to a hospital for medical care.