Fire chief confirms 3 dead bodies recovered from the Rio Grande
By Nick Catlin
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SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico (KOAT) — Several dead bodies were recovered from the Rio Grande around the New Mexico-Texas state line.
Sunland Park Fire Department responded to a water rescue request from Border Patrol on Tuesday evening, June 25. There were a total of five people in the water, according to Sunland Park fire Chief Ramiro Rios.
“They had pulled one out alive and then the other four we actually witnessed in the river floating face down,” Rios said. “So then, at that point, we were starting to do what was a body recovery.”
Rios contacted the El Paso Fire Department to assist with the recovery near the state border line. Their department was able to recover three of the four bodies remaining in the river.
Responders with Sunland Park had to use bolt cutters to cut wire in order to get to the Texas side.
“One of the problems we encounter was Texas put concertina wire all along the Rio Grande River, all the way up to the Annapurna Bridge or where Pizarro McNutt meet right at the state line,” Rios said. “So that hindered our efforts of getting into the water.”
Sunland Park fire has conducted a total of 18 body recoveries in the desert since March, according to Rios. He attributed those responses to heat stroke.
Responding to people falling from the U.S.-Mexico border wall are normal and nearly daily responses for Sunland Park fire.
Rios also said the amount of water rescue efforts at the Rio Grande is uncommon for Sunland Park.
“That’s highly unusual for us, the river normally flows pretty calm here,” Rios said. “Obviously, there are some undercurrents and it will push you, but I’m not exactly sure why it’s moving any faster this year, but we are definitely experiencing something that we normally don’t.”
During a body recovery in the desert, temperatures reached 156 degrees. That came from a response on Tuesday, June 25.
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