CBP Rescues Hunter Who Fell And Fractured Leg In Arizona

A hunter who fell and sustained a suspected leg fracture in Arizona was rescued Friday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.

On Feb. 21, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department requested assistance from CBP locating and extracting an injured hunter near Arivaca, near Arizona’s southern border. A CBP Air and Marine Operations (AMO) Black Hawk helicopter crew was launched, along with a Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) team, to assist.

After a “brief” search, the helicopter crew located the injured hunter in an “austere” location with no vehicle access. Two BORSTAR EMTs were deployed via a 30-foot Fast Rope insertion due to the dangerous terrain. They assessed the injured hunter and stabilized the injured leg.

The hunter was then prepped in an Air Rescue Vest and extracted to a nearby paved road where additional BORSTAR EMTs were waiting. The hunter was then transferred to the Arivaca Fire District for transport to a local hospital.

“This rescue is a testament to our unmatched aviation precision capabilities,” Jose Muriente, AMO Deputy Director, Tucson Air Branch, said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of the professionalism our UH-60 crew and BORSTAR team showed today, to save the life of this hunter.”