A Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter crashed in Kinney County while helping ground crews track a group of migrants attempting to avoid apprehension in the brush. The two crew members onboard did not sustain any major injuries, according to a law enforcement source.
At approximately 7:25 p.m. on January 11, a Texas DPS helicopter experienced an inflight emergency and appeared to crash land into a field in Kinney County. The helicopter crew was reported to be assisting a DPS brush crew with tracking a group of migrants attempting to avoid apprehension while hiking through a Texas ranch near the border region.
DPS helicopter crews routinely assist troopers and Border Patrol agents on the ground as they track migrants marching through the brush.
The Texas Department of Public Safety issued the following statement Thursday night:
On Jan 11, 2024, at approximately 7:20 p.m., a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) single-engine police helicopter was conducting a border interdiction patrol flight in support of Operation Lone Star. This flight was conducted at night, under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions utilizing night vision goggles, and the crew consisted of a pilot and copilot. The location was North FM 1908, just west of FM 131 in Kinney County.
During the flight, the crew experienced a total loss of power, entered into an auto-rotative descent and made contact with the ground. The co-pilot sustained a minor hand injury, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been notified, and the Texas Highway Patrol is securing the scene until their arrival. DPS will not be releasing further details until the completion of the NTSB investigation.
The Del Rio Sector is one of the busiest Border Patrol sectors along the southwest border with Mexico. During a recent two-week period, Del Rio Sector agents apprehended nearly 35,000 migrants.
