MARFA, TX (KWES) - The Alpine Air Unit rescued a group of 15 illegal aliens from the winter weather conditions while lost in the desert.
On Friday morning, an air operation rescued the group of people who were suffering from extreme hypothermia. They immediately began helping, but one of the individuals died on arrival. The other 14 were all in different stages of distress and hypothermia, according to a press release.
They were all transported by air or land depending on their condition.
We're told they were all found to be from Guatemala and had been walking for approximately one week when the Big Bend area fell under an unexpected winter storm warning.
While the loss of even one life is tragic, the heroic efforts of our expertly trained agents responding to this chaotic, mass-casualty event clearly saved 14 lives from certain death," said Supervisory Air Interdiction Agent and AMEMS Program Manager Jeff Birks. "Their immediate and enduring response, under the harshest of conditions, reflects great credit upon themselves and our agency."
