U.S. Border Patrol agents rescued two U.S. citizens stranded in remote desert areas of southern Arizona in separate incidents over the weekend.
Over the weekend Tucson Sector assisted local law enforcement with the rescue of two United States Citizen hikers in two separate events.
On 4/5: A Tucson Sector BORSTAR agent working with Pinal Air responded to a call for a hiker with a lower leg injury in the Superstition… pic.twitter.com/XJVtDO1tWx
— Chief Patrol Agent – Tucson Sector (@USBPChiefTCA) April 15, 2025
On Saturday, Tucson Sector Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents, in collaboration with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a hiker stranded near the Superstition Mountains, east of Phoenix. The hiker reported they had a potentially broken ankle and were unable to walk.
Aboard Pinal Air 1, the rescue team quickly located the injured hiker. Due to challenging, mountainside terrain, to evaluate the hiker, a BORSTAR agent was lowered to the ground using the helicopter’s hoist. The hiker was then rescued via hoist and taken to a safe landing zone for further evaluation.
On Sunday, agents assigned to the Sonoita Border Patrol Station responded to a call from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office for a lost and injured hiker on the Arizona Trail near Pauline Ridge. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations helicopter located the hiker, but rugged terrain and dense foliage prevented the helicopter from landing, and the rescue was conducted by agents on the ground.
After reaching his location, agents learned the hiker had been lost for two days. They provided immediate medical aid and transported him to the Sonoita-Elgin Fire Department for further evaluation and treatment.
“I am incredibly proud of our agents’ swift and professional response to these incidents,” said Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean L. McGoffin. “These rescues are a testament to their training, teamwork and unwavering commitment to public safety. Our agents and teams continuously demonstrate their dedication to saving people’s lives.”
