Eight migrants trying to enter the U.S. along the southern border were found dead in the Rio Grande, Customs and Border Protection confirmed

According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), eight migrants who were trying to enter the United States along the southern border were found dead in the Rio Grande. The bodies were discovered on Thursday by CBP agents who were responding to an illegal crossing attempt involving several dozen migrants near Eagle Pass, Texas.

During the event, Border Patrol agents were able to detain 53 migrants, according to the officials, including 37 people who had to be rescued from the river that separates the United States of America and Mexico. According to information provided by CBP on Friday, Mexican authorities have taken custody of an additional 39 migrants on the other side of the Rio Grande.

According to a statement that was issued by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. border patrol agents located and recovered six of the deceased bodies, while their Mexican government colleagues located and recovered two of the bodies. According to Richard Pauza, a representative for the agency, the bodies were found inside the river.

As the search for any potential victims continues, Pauza stated that agents of the Border Patrol are coordinating their efforts with the Eagle Pass Fire Department and the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office.

There is a risk of death associated with illegally crossing the border between the United States and Mexico. The CBP has been keeping track of deaths that have occurred among migrants along the Rio Grande, in rural areas of the borderlands, and in canals. A Guatemalan girl of five years old died of drowning last week, according to Mexican authorities. She and her mother had been attempting to cross the Rio Grande when the kid drowned.

Even if migrants are able to enter the United States, the journey can still be fatal. This was illustrated by the deaths of 53 migrants in an abandoned tractor-trailer in Texas earlier this summer. This case is believed to be the deadliest suspected human smuggling case in the history of the United States.

The International Organization for Migration, which is affiliated with the United Nations, reported 728 deaths of migrants along the United States-Mexico border in 2021. Although this number represents a record, officials have stated that it is likely an undercount due to limitations in data collection.

The border sector in Texas near Del Rio where the most recent suspected drownings happened has seen an enormous surge in the number of migrant arrests over the course of the past year, as has been the case in many other regions of the United States-Mexico border. CBP figures show that during the first ten months of the fiscal year 2022, Border Patrol agents in Del Rio were responsible for the apprehension of 376,000 migrants. This represents a 45% increase over the same period in 2021.

According to the figures provided by the CBP, immigration officers working for the United States along the Mexican border reported more than 1.8 million apprehensions during the fiscal year 2022. This figure represents a new record high and is expected to be surpassed by more than 2 million when the new fiscal year 2023 begins in October.