A U.S. Customs and Border Protection pilot was killed in a helicopter crash near the southern California border on Monday, authorities said.
The Eurocopter AS35 helicopter crashed around 10:15 a.m. on private land near Potrero, east of San Diego, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News Digital.
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection patch on uniform. A CBP Air and Marine aircraft was involved in an accident near San Diego on Monday that ended in the death of a CBP air interdiction agent, the agency announced. (Reuters)
A CBP Air and Marine Corps aircraft was involved in an “aircraft accident” while on an unspecified border patrol mission, a CBP spokesperson told FOX News Digital.
“Sadly, the CBP air interdiction officer (the pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft) was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
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A steel structure consisting of primary and secondary barriers erected along the U.S.-Mexico border between San Diego and Tijuana (L) during an inspection with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on May 10, 2021. A new section of bollard type border wall. Located in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego County, California. – Few issues have a longer history of vexing both Democrats and Republicans than immigration and asylum at the nearly 2,000-mile (3,000-kilometer) U.S.-Mexico border. ((Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images))
The pilot was not identified.
The FAA said, “Only the pilot was on board. The FAA and NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) will investigate.” “The NTSB is in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates.”
Monday's incident was the second helicopter crash in San Diego County this year. fox 5 Reported.
The law being debated in court called for 800 miles of double reinforced fencing, but less than 160 miles of double fence currently exist. In any event, California argues that its waiver authority expired in 2008 and is not permanent. (Reuters)
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A crash in February killed five U.S. Marines and prompted a massive foot search in the area amid heavy rain and snow, news outlets reported.
