Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents rescued a Guatemalan migrant who became lost in the brush on a ranch located 50 miles from the Texas-Mexico border. The illegal immigrant was apparently attempting to sneak past an immigration checkpoint.

Agents assigned to the Freer Border Patrol station received a call on December 13 about a migrant who became lost near Texas Highway 44, about 30 miles west of Freer, Texas. The agents quickly launched a search for the lost individual, according to Laredo Sector Border Patrol officials.

After searching extensively for seven hours — including the use of cell phone GPS technology — the Freer agents located the man in the brush on a ranch. These areas are extremely difficult for an inexperienced person to navigate, officials previously told Breitbart News.

Fortunately, the agents found the migrant before he became dehydrated. The agents completed a health assessment and determined he did not need medical attention. They transported the man to the Freer Checkpoint where he received food and water.

The agents transported the man to the Central Processing Unit where he would undergo a biometric background investigation. The agents identified the man as a Guatemalan national who was illegally present in the U.S.

The number of migrants rescued by Border Patrol agents rose significantly during the most recent fiscal year which ended on September 30. During that period, agents rescued more than 4,300 illegal immigrants who put themselves in life-endangering situations, Breitbart News reported. On average, agents rescued about 12 migrants per day during the period. In the first two months of Fiscal Year 2019, that number jumped by 74 percent, Border Patrol officials told reporters during a conference call on Friday.

Breitbart News reports extensively on the recuse of migrants by Border Patrol agents. Frequently, Border Patrol agents put their own lives at risk when migrants place themselves in dangerous situations. In a recent example, a McAllen Station Border Patrol agent came under attack from migrants throwing large rocks as he attempted to rescue a pregnant woman who had just crossed the border.