(DailyAnswer.org) – A National Guard helicopter has crashed near the southern U.S.-Mexico border, killing at least three onboard, according to officials.
The UH-72 Lakota helicopter carrying a Border Control agent and three members of the New York National Guard went down in the Texan border town of La Grulla near the Rio Grande. One of the soldiers onboard remains in critical condition. According to law enforcement sources, the National Guard soldiers were working on federal orders from the Department of Homeland Security.
One woman and three men were reportedly onboard the UH-72 helicopter. General Daniel Hokanson, head of the National Guard Bureau, posted on X offering his condolences to the families of the three who died and prayed for the speedy recovery of the critically injured soldier.
As part of Operation Lone Star, a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter crashed after losing power in January, resulting in the co-pilot experiencing minor hand injuries and significant damage to the aircraft. Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s border mission has cost nearly $10 billion and aims to test the federal government’s authority over the border. Abbott announced plans in February to build Forward Operating Base Eagle for the National Guard across an 80-acre site near the border. The base could potentially house as many as 2,300 troops. Operation Lone Star was launched in 2021 by the governor, who stated that the border crisis warranted a military response.
The cause of the UH-72 crash, which occurred mid-afternoon, is under investigation. The three people killed were named Border Patrol Agent Chris Luna, 49, and National Guard Chief Warrant Officers Casey Frankoski, 28, and John Grassia, 30. According to the New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs, the currently unnamed injured soldier was the aircraft crew chief. Hokanson described the crash as a tragic loss and praised all onboard for their service and sacrifice to America. Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection Troy Miller released a statement expressing heartbreak at the death of Luna, who is survived by a wife and two children.
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