At least eight people were found dead in the Rio Grande while attempting a hazardous crossing in Texas, officials said on Friday.
The discovery was made by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Mexican officials on Thursday while responding to a large number of people attempting to migrate across the river near the city of Eagle Pass.
A group of people are given cheeseburgers from Ricky Medina, while waiting on a CTA bus before being taken to a Salvation Army after arriving on a bus with other migrants from Texas at Union Station, Wednesday Aug. 31, 2022, in Chicago.
The immigrants are being bused from Texas as part of a strategy launched by TexasGov. Greg Abbott this year to share the influx of people from outside the United States with liberal cities.
US officials recovered six bodies, while Mexican teams recovered two others, according to a CBP statement.
The agency said US crews rescued 37 people from the river and detained 16 others, while Mexican officials took 39 people into custody. Officials on both sides of the border continue searching for any possible victims, the CBP said.
Days of heavy rain in the Big Bend region had resulted in swift currents in the Rio Grande.
The border patrol’s Del Rio sector, which includes Eagle Pass, has been especially dangerous because river currents can be deceptively fast and change quickly. The area draws people from dozens of countries, many of them families with young children. Crossing the river can be challenging even for strong swimmers.
In a news release last month, CBP said it had discovered more than 200 bodies in the Del Rio sector from October through July. The Del Rio sector extends 245 miles (395 km) along the Rio Grande.
Surveys by the UN International Organization for Migration and others point to rising fatalities as the number of crossing attempts have soared. In the last three decades, thousands have died attempting to enter the United States from Mexico, often from dehydration or drowning.
… we have a small favour to ask. Millions are turning to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially.
We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action.
In these perilous times, a truth-seeking global news organisation like the Guardian is essential. We have no shareholders or billionaire owner, meaning our journalism is free from commercial and political influence – this makes us different. When it’s never been more important, our independence allows us to fearlessly investigate, challenge and expose those in power. Support the Guardian from as little as $1 – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you.