AMO Helicopter Crew Conducts Two Rescues in the Mountains

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

EL PASO, TEXAS (News Release) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations helicopter crews conducted rescues this weekend in the Franklin and Organ mountains. 

On Aug. 9, CBP/AMO, El Paso Air Branch received a call from El Paso County Search and Rescue for a helicopter hoist rescue of a severely dehydrated hiker in Franklin Mountains nearby. A Hoist Certified-crew was recalled and a CBP UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with a hoist lift was deployed from El Paso Air Branch at 3 p.m. with a rescue specialist aboard. The helicopter flew to the rescue site, hovered approximately 50 ft., and lowered a rescue specialist down to where the dehydrated hiker and two El Paso County Search and Rescue team members were treating the patient. All four were hoisted up into the helicopter and transported to a nearby road where an ambulance was waiting to take the hiker to a local hospital for treatment.

While in route from the previous mission, the UH-60 Black Hawk responded to another call for assistance from New Mexico State Police regarding a hiker suffering from chest pains and numb fingers in the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces, New Mexico. En route the helicopter crew was able to pick up a local fire department Emergency Medical Technician to help with the treatment of the patient. After searching for approximately 30 minutes, the hiker was located at 4:43 p.m. in a mountain valley at approximately 8,300 ft. above sea level. The rescue specialist was hoisted down approximately 130 feet to secure the patient. Both the rescue specialist and patient were hoisted into the aircraft. After evaluation by the EMT, the decision was made to land the aircraft on a road to transfer the patient to an ambulance for transport to a local hospital.

With no more rescue requests, the aircraft and aircrew returned to El Paso Air Branch headquarters. 

“Our CBP AMO agents regularly train and prepare for life-saving missions like these with our local police and fire department search and rescue teams. It is because of this coordination we can successfully conduct these missions in the harsh, austere mountains and desert of West Texas and New Mexico,” said Air Branch Director Efren Gonzalez, El Paso. “The investment in equipment, training and coordination paid off with these successful rescues.”