CUSTOMS HELICOPTER CRASHES IN SOUTH TEXAS

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Helicopter Crashed Tuesday Near
the Mexican Border While Supporting the Chase of a Pickup Truck
Carrying Marijuana in South Texas, Officials Said.

A pilot and observer were hospitalized for observation, but there were
no serious injuries, CBP spokeswoman Gina Gray said.

The crash occurred in a rural area south of San Juan and Alamo
surrounded by farm fields, though the crash site appeared to be a
small landfill. Border Patrol and Texas Department of Public Safety
troopers restricted access to the site, but the white belly of the
customs helicopter could be seen as it rested on its side in the distance.

Gray said the crash will be investigated by the Federal Aviation
Administration. She said the crash occurred around noon Tuesday while
an EC-120 helicopter was "flying in support of routine border security
operations." An FAA spokesman confirmed that an investigator would be
coming from San Antonio.

A Border Patrol agent with direct knowledge of the incident, but who
requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak, said the
helicopter had been supporting the pursuit of a truck driven by a
juvenile that rolled on a road and came to rest in a home's front yard
about a mile away from the helicopter crash site.

Border Patrol agents were cleaning up the scene around the smashed
pickup Tuesday afternoon while others responded to the helicopter
crash. Bundles of what appeared to be marijuana littered the lawn. The
agent confirmed that the pilot and observer from the helicopter walked
away from the crash but were taken to the same hospital emergency room
as the truck's driver. No information was available about the driver's
condition.

Alejandro Carillo, who was working in a field near the crash, said the
helicopter turned on its side before reaching the ground, sending dirt
churned up by the rotors into the air. He said there didn't appear to
be an explosion.

The helicopters generally are used to support the pursuit of illegal
immigrants and drug smugglers along the border.