Military sources have reported that on Friday, a helicopter flying over the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas crashed, killing two National Guard soldiers and a Border Patrol agent. Another soldier on board was injured.
The UH-72 Lakota helicopter went down over La Grulla, a tiny town in Starr County along the Rio Grande River, near Rio Grande City. The chopper was on a border security mission when the crash occurred, according to a statement released by Joint Task Force North. The cause is under investigation.
Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, the county’s top official, said those on board included one woman and three men.
Gen. Daniel Hokanson, head of the National Guard Bureau, in a post on X, sent his condolences to the families, loved ones, friends and colleagues of the three people killed, and prayers for the injured soldier’s speedy recovery.
“We mourn these heartbreaking deaths,” Hokanson’s post said. “They are a tragic loss beyond words. All of these people represent selfless service & the best of America.”
While the cause of the crash has not been determined, Border Patrol sources told Fox News that Mexican cartel members were watching the helicopter on one of its drones when it crashed. According to this source, they zoomed their cameras in on the wreck and were heard laughing in a clip posted on cartel social media.
Apparently, there was already some concern about the safety of the missions flown. On February 27, the National Guard said in a statement that its director, Lt Gen Jon A Jensen, “has ordered an aviation safety stand down of all Army National Guard helicopter units to review safety policies and procedures following two recent helicopter crashes.” At the time, all of the bureau’s helicopter fleet was grounded.
The border region is heavily patrolled by both state and federal authorities, including routine aerial surveillance.
Friday’s crash is not the first to have occurred in the area. In January, a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter patrolling the state’s border with Mexico lost power and crashed, officials said at the time. The co-pilot suffered a minor hand injury and the helicopter was significantly damaged, but there were no fatalities.
The UH-72 Lakota helicopter that crashed on Friday was flying as part of Operation Lone Star, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s nearly $10 billion border mission that has challenged the federal government’s authority over immigration. The operation aims to combat illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities and involves increased patrols, checkpoints, surveillance, and coordination with federal authorities to enhance border security and enforce immigration and customs laws.
