Man drowns attempting to make illegal entry into US

On Wednesday night, Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector recovered the body of a man who drowned while allegedly attempting to illegally enter the United States, a Customs and Border Protection news release stated.

At around 9 p.m., agents witnessed three individuals illegally enter the United States about two miles west of the Gran Plaza Outlets.

Two of the individuals, both men, were immediately apprehended after swimming across the All-American Canal.

Agents noticed a third man in the canal struggling to stay afloat.

Agents were unable to assist the man before he drowned.

Agents with the Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue quickly arrived on scene and attempted to retrieve the man’s body, but had to call off the operation due to heavy rain and low visibility.

At 9 a.m. Thursday, BORSTAR agents resumed their search for the drowned man when conditions were not as hazardous.

At 10 a.m. Thursday, BORSTAR divers located the man’s body submerged about 150 yards from where he entered the water the night before.

The man’s body was turned over to the county coroner’s office. The man’s identity and nationality have not yet been determined.

The two individuals the deceased man was traveling with were nationals of El Salvador.