National

Migrant family crossing Rio Grande gets stranded in strong current, Texas officials say

A mother, father and two young children were rescued from the river.
A mother, father and two young children were rescued from the river. U.S. Customs and Border Protection

A migrant family struggling to cross the Rio Grande river amid strong currents and high water levels was rescued by border patrol agents.

The family — a Venezuelan mother and father along with their two Panamanian children ages 2 and 3 — were trying to cross the Rio Grande in Del Rio, Texas, on the morning of March 7, a Customs and Border Protection news release said.

But the family became stranded and were in danger due to high water levels and cold, strong currents, officials said.

Agents noticed the family struggling and tried to get two rescue bags to them but were unsuccessful, the release said.

Officials then sent an airboat to the family and successfully rescued them from the currents.

The family was unharmed and were sent to the Del Rio Station, where they were “processed in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection policies and guidelines,” officials said in the release.

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This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Migrant family crossing Rio Grande gets stranded in strong current, Texas officials say."

Mariah Rush
mcclatchy-newsroom
Mariah Rush is a National Real-Time Reporter. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and has previously worked for The Chicago Tribune, The Tampa Bay Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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