CBP Aircraft Locates Vessel in Distress

 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine agents assigned to the North Dakota Air Branch have located four people on Red Lake after a call for assistance came in from the Red Lake Police Department.

The incident began at approximately 2 a.m. on August 20, when the North Dakota Air Branch was called to assist the Red Lake Police Department with a search and rescue mission of a vessel in distress that was carrying four individuals.  Two air interdiction agents assigned to the North Dakota Air Branch immediately responded by launching an OAM AS350 helicopter.

Upon arriving on scene the crew searched the Red Lake area using night vision goggles and a forward looking infrared system.

At approximately 3:30 a.m., the OAM crew located and guided the rescue personnel to the location of the distressed vessel on the lower Red Lake.

“This case is a testament to how well we work with our fellow law enforcement partners when lives are at risk,” said Greg Abner, Director of Air Operations, North Dakota Air Branch. “I am just glad we were able to respond so quickly and assist in saving the lives of four people, today.”   

All occupants in the vessel, two adults and two children, were located alive and in stable condition.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.