10-Month-Old Dead, 3 Missing After Raft Carrying Immigrants Capsizes On Rio Grande

A trek by several migrants into the United States took a deadly turn when their raft overturned on the Rio Grande along the Texas-Mexico border.

According to CNN, this occurred on Wednesday after Border Patrol took a man into custody for illegally crossing the border. The man then told Border Patrol that he was part of a group who were trying to enter the country by raft going up the Rio Grande. The raft then capsized, sending the occupants down “the cold and fast-flowing waters.”

An official for the Department of Homeland Security said that while some struggled to stay afloat and hug the overturned raft, others were swept downriver by the currents.

Among those swept away included the family of the man Border Patrol has in custody. Authorities were able to rescue his wife and 6-year-old son, with their son being treated at a local hospital. Unfortunately, agents discovered the body of their 10-month-old son farther down river.

Agents were also able to rescue another five people that were missing after the raft capsized. However, three people were still reported as missing Thursday night by Customs and Border Patrol.

“The Rio Grande is a dangerous river, it looks calm, but it has resulted in a number of rescues and deaths over the years and is one of the main ways in which migrants are at risk from the terrain and natural barriers that exist as they travel north,” one CBP official explained.

CNN has also learned that “water rescues are up significantly this year compared to last year,” with over 200 water rescues in 2019 so far.