EAGLE PASS, Texas — Search crews have recovered the body of a Texas National Guard member who went missing after jumping in the river on the U.S.-Mexico border to help a migrant who was struggling to swim.
Authorities say the body of Spc. Bishop Evans was found Monday, three days after he was reported missing on the Rio Grande near the border town of Eagle Pass.
The local sheriff has said Evans jumped into the river without his jacket or radio to help a woman who appeared in distress while trying to swim over from Mexico.
Evans reportedly jumped into an area of the river where water from the city goes out and creates a heavy current, making it difficult to swim.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed condolences for Evans’ family and friends.
“Our National Guard soldiers risk their lives every day to serve and protect others and we are eternally grateful for the way SPC Evans heroically served his state and country,” Governor Abbott said in a statement.
Migrant rescues are common in the river along the Texas border, and the attempted crossings are also sometimes deadly.
