By KRWG News
El Paso – A potentially deadly situation was averted yesterday after Border Patrol agents helped rescue two migrants in distress who jumped into the American Canal while attempting to elude authorities.
On Monday, July 26, 2010 at approximately 2:00 p.m., Border Patrol Agents from the El Paso station observed several subjects making an illegal entry into the United States. The individuals jumped into the canal about half a mile east of the Paso Del Norte Bridge in an effort to elude the Border Patrol. Agents responded to the area and found that one of the individuals was struggling with the turbulent waters, unable to climb out and yelling for help.
The agents' immediately deployed life saving, land based swift water rescue equipment and attempted to rescue the individual. The agents continued their efforts, following the individual as she continued to be swept away by the rough waters. Several minutes later and nearly half a mile from where the rescue attempts began, the agents were finally able to pull the individual out of the water. The female was transported to the hospital for further medical attention and was treated and released from the hospital. The individual was transported to the station to be processed for removal.
Early this morning, at approximately 2:00 a.m., Border Patrol agents from the El Paso Station observed a group of three individuals who were attempting to make an illegal entry in the same vicinity as the previous rescue. As agents arrived at the scene, they observed one individual struggling with the strong currents. The agents' immediately deployed life saving, land based swift water rescue equipment and attempted to rescue the individual. The individual would wave off the repeated attempts from the agents. Agents then requested the assistance of the El Paso Fire Department to help with the rescue. In conjunction with the El Paso Fire Department, the individual was able to be rescued approximately a mile an a half from where the rescue attempts began. The individual declined further medical help and was placed under arrest for illegal entry. The subject was taken to the station for processing where record checks on the individual revealed that he was a convicted aggravated felon. The subject was identified as 46-year-old Juan Chavez- Alvarez of Mexico. Chavez-Alvarez will remain in Border Patrol custody for further prosecution.