DEADLY WATERS

Texas National Guard Soldier Drowns Trying to Rescue Migrants

The soldier has only been identified as a 22-year-old man.

A Texas National Guard soldier died Friday as he tried to rescue migrants who became stuck in rip currents while they desperately tried to cross the border, state officials said.

The soldier, who has only been identified as a 22-year-old man, was pulled from the Rio Grande by a rip current near the city of Eagle Pass, which borders Mexico. He was part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s border crackdown plan, Operation Lone Star, according to The Washington Post.

The soldier is one of 10 people who have drowned along the Rio Grande due to violent rip currents, Lt. Christopher Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

The Texas Military Department initially denied the soldier had died, saying it was working to find him even though he hadn’t been heard from in hours. Eagle Pass’ mayor, Rolando Salinas, confirmed the death to the Post.

“It’s just so many people crossing, many are holding kids and older ladies are crossing and we don’t know if they can even swim,” Salinas said. “Most times people cross when the water is low, but in Spanish we call it the Rio Bravo because it’s really unpredictable.”

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Corbin BoliesMedia Reporter

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