Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents recovered the body of a migrant who apparently drowned during an illegal border crossing. The recovery took place not far from the scene where agents rescued 17 migrants earlier in the week.

Marine unit agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Station teamed up with the Eagle Pass, Texas, Fire Department on February 14 to recover the body of a deceased migrant from the Rio Grande River that separates Texas and Mexico, according to information obtained from Del Rio Sector Border Patrol officials.

“Crossing the Rio Grande River is both illegal and dangerous,” Del Rio Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak said in a written statement. “This tragic death reminds us of the unforgiving and perilous nature of this part of our nation’s southern border.”

Officials dispatched the marine-based Border Patrol agents to an area where witnesses reported discovering a body in the Rio Grande River near Bridge No. 2, a legal port of entry from Mexico to Texas. The Border Patrol agents and the fire department crew recovered the body of an as yet unidentified male from the river, officials stated. The agents turned the body over to Eagle Pass authorities for processing.

Del Rio Sector officials reported that at least four people died in the sector since the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1.

One day earlier, Eagle Pass Station agents rescued 17 migrants from drowning in the Rio Grande River in three separate memberships, Breitbart News reported.

In one incident, agents rescued a group of eight migrants who became stranded in the darkness of the morning on a small island in the middle of the river. The migrants were attempting to illegally cross the border not far from a legal port of entry.

Shortly after noon on the same day, migrants got in trouble trying to cross the swiftly moving river. The agents pulled the migrants to safety. Later that day, agents rescued yet another group of distressed migrants.

Officials said the 17 rescued migrants included six children ranging from one-year-old to 17, officials stated. Agents also identified one Guatemalan child, but no Guatemalan adults.

“As the number of migrants crossing the dangerous Rio Grande River has risen over the past several weeks, so too have our number of rescues,” Acting-Chief Hudak said in a written statement. “No loss of life or injury took place during these operations thanks to the quick actions taken by our agents, of whom I’m extremely proud.”

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face book.