Three killed in helicopter crash near southern border identified

Two National Guard soldiers and a Border Patrol agent who were killed in a helicopter crash near the US-Mexico border have been identified.

The Department of Homeland Security said National Guard Chief Warrant Officers Casey Frankoski, 28, and John Grassia, 30, as well as Border Patrol agent Chris Luna, 49, were all killed when their UH-72 Lakota aircraft came down along Texas’ southern border while on a federal “Border support mission” on Friday.

Another National Guard member, whose name hasn’t been released, was also badly hurt in the crash and remains hospitalised.

The National Guard Bureau said the injured soldier was the aircraft crew chief and is from the New York National Guard.

Grassia and Frankoski were also based in New York, with Grassia enlisting in the New York Army National Guard in 2013 as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter maintenance specialist after working as a New York state trooper.

Meanwhile, Frankoski, of Rensselaer, New York, enlisted in the New York Army National Guard in 2016 and trained to become a UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopter pilot, according to the New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement that she was “deeply saddened” by the deaths of Grassia and Frankoski.

“There is no greater calling than service to and defense of your country,” she said.

Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, said he was “shocked and devastated” by the deaths of Frankoski and Grassia, and that he is “praying for the quick recovery” of the injured crew chief.

US Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Troy Miller added that he was “heartbroken” by the death of Luna, who was assigned to the Border Patrol’s Rio Grande City Station.

Luna is survived by his wife and two children, parents and brother.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The crash occurred near La Grulla, Texas, located about 40 miles west of the border city of McAllen.

The New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs said the helicopter involved in the incident was assigned to the District of Columbia Army National Guard.

The border region is heavily patrolled by both state and federal authorities, including routine aerial surveillance.

In a statement on Saturday, President Joe Biden honored those who were killed, saying in a statement, “Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

“These brave Americans dedicated their lives to protecting our nation,” he said. “They signed up knowing the risks and believing in the mission of serving their fellow Americans by keeping our nation safe. Our gratitude is profound, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

“We extend our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones, as well as their colleagues in the National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol. We pray for the injured Guardsman’s swift recovery,” president Biden added.