2 Camp Pendleton Marines confirmed dead in vehicle rollover, one seriously injured
2 Camp Pendleton Marines confirmed dead in vehicle rollover, one seriously injured
Two Marines based at Camp Pendleton but on a deployment with the Joint Task Force Southern Border were killed when their civilian vehicle rolled over on a road near a New Mexico town, Marine officials confirmed Wednesday, April 16.
A third Marine remains in serious condition at a local medical facility following the Tuesday crash, a 1st Division spokesperson said.
The accident occurred at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday near Santa Teresa, N.M, as the Marines were traveling to El Paso, Texas, the division spokesperson said.
The Marines were part of the Joint Task Force-Southern Border, the command overseeing the troop deployment at the U.S. border with Mexico following an order by President Donald Trump in January.
The names of the deceased will not be released until the next of kin have been notified. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
The three Marines were part of Task Force Sapper, which is a military unit supporting the Southern Border mission, the Marine spokesman said. The unit is responsible for reinforcing existing border barriers and fortifications, such as concertina wire and other physical barriers, to deter illegal crossings and enhance security.
Thousands of troops have been sent to the southwestern border in recent months, following Trump’s order to increase the military’s role in stemming the flow of migrants into the United States.
Trump declared an emergency at the border on the first day of his second term and promised to send U.S. military forces to confront migrants, drug cartels and smugglers. About 1,600 Marines and Army soldiers were later sent to secure the border, joining 2,500 Army reservists already there.
Another wave of troops was sent in February and March, bringing the total number of active-duty troops on the border to about 9,000, according to Defense Department officials.
The New York Times contributed to this report.
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