Yuma CBP aircrew rescues two dehydrated people in Kofa Refuge

A Yuma-based CBP AS350 aircrew found two dehydrated people whose vehicle was stuck in sand in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, then helped coordinate their rescue with U.S. Border Patrol and the Yuma County Sheriff's Office.

The July 15 operation ended without ambulance transport, but only after Border Patrol agents stayed with the motorists and escorted them safely back to a paved road. Both people declined medical treatment after being located in the remote refuge west of Yuma, where soft sand, distance and summer heat can turn a routine drive into an emergency.

CBP described the incident in a local media release titled "Yuma Air Branch Conducts Life-Saving Rescue Operations," underscoring how quickly a stranded vehicle can become a rescue call in the desert. The agency said the Yuma aircrew and ground responders worked together to locate the pair and get them out of the refuge’s backcountry terrain.

The rescue fits a pattern CBP has repeatedly seen in southern Arizona. Air and Marine Operations has carried out multiple rescues in remote desert terrain, including in the Kofa Mountains and other isolated areas across the state. In those places, once a vehicle bogs down or travel takes longer than expected, heat exposure and dehydration can intensify before help arrives.

Desert travel can become dangerous fast. One medical summary in the search results noted that above 100 degrees, the body can lose more than a liter of sweat per hour during physical activity, and dehydration can become life-threatening within a single day. In Yuma County, that risk rises in the same open country that draws off-road drivers, hikers and day-trippers into areas with little shade, no cell service and long stretches without pavement.

Before heading into remote places like Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, carry more water than you think you will need, plus snacks, necessary medications and a fully charged phone. The Arizona Department of Transportation also advises travelers to pack water and snacks and keep phones charged before day trips. In Yuma County, that preparation can be the difference between turning around under your own power and waiting for a CBP aircrew, Border Patrol and county deputies to find you.