Mexican incursion confirmed

Yuma Sun ^ | Feb 23, 2006 | JeffreyGautreaux

[GoRepGo]

The U.S. Border Patrol has confirmed that a Mexican government helicopter crossed into the United States Tuesday evening.

The unmarked helicopter crossed into the U.S. near San Luis, Ariz., at 6:30 p.m. and traveled along the Colorado River for approximately a half a mile before returning to Mexico, according to a Customs and Border Protection release.

"After proper coordination and verifications with the government of Mexico, they confirmed that the helicopter belonged to the Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR) and had mistakenly and unintentionally crossed into U.S. airspace," the release said.

PGR is the federal police force that investigates federal offenses, predominantly drug trafficking and organized crime.

Local border watcher Flash Sharrar, who saw the helicopter while on patrol near County 12th Street, remained steadfast that the helicopter was carrying Mexican soldiers, not federal agents. "That was Mexican military," he said. "You could see the uniforms."

Sharrar, the co-founder of the Yuma Patriots, said the chopper traveled much farther than a half-mile while it was in the United States. He said it was circling in U.S. airspace for as long as 20 minutes.

Yuma sector Border Patrol spokesman Michael Gramley said this was the first incursion by a Mexican helicopter that he could recall in the Yuma sector. Gramley did not have any information beyond that which was provided in the report.

"I think it's happened more often than we really know," Sharrar said.

Sharrar said if the Patriots had not witnessed the incursion, the Border Patrol would have denied that it happened.

Gramley said that would not be the case. "We would surely not attempt to cover up an incident of this type," he said.

[Larry Lucido]

remained steadfast that the helicopter was carrying Mexican soldiers, not federal agents

"If you're federales, where are your badges?"

You know the rest.

[dcwusmc]

I am ALMOST in agreement... but were it me, I'd bill Vicente Fox for the cost of the missile, vehicle or helo fuel used in its delivery, plus the cost to clean up the mess and ship the remains home. Then, perhaps, a big "OOPSIE!!"