U.S. Border Patrol said Friday more than two dozen migrants attempted to cross the U.S.-Mexico Border in San Ysidro through a drainage culvert last week, leading to one death and several injuries amid heavy rain.
Previously, USBP reported 10 migrants had attempted to cross through the large pipe that controls water flow beneath the border on Jan. 29, after a third winter storm dumped inches of rain on San Diego County. On Friday, they said right behind the group of 10 was another 16 migrants.
Border Patrol agents were first called to the area just east of East San Ysidro Boulevard and Rail Court, at around 3:30 p.m., according to Supervisory Agent Jeff Stephenson.
An agent went to the culvert, which was blocked by trash and debris, and heard people calling for help from inside, Stephenson said. The agent opened the grate and water began rushing out -- along with two men, USBP said.
Multiple agencies, including San Diego Fire-Rescue, worked to search the interior of the culvert for others in need of rescue. In all, 10 migrants from Mexico were discovered, two of which were unresponsive, according to Border Patrol.
USBP agents were able to revive one migrant, a woman, who was transported to the hospital along with two others, the agency said.
The other did not recover and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Mexican man has not been identified.
During the incident, another 16 people, three from Guatamala and 13 from Mexico, rushed through the opened culvert, according to USBP.
All 16, as well as the six uninjured migrants from the first group, were discovered to be illegally in the U.S. and were taken to a nearby border patrol station for processing.
The culvert was approximately 5 feet by 5 feet and equipped with technology that can alert USBP agents when people are inside, according to Stephenson.
