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Sunday, June 12, 2005

2 bodies are pulled from canals

Adriana M. Chávez
El Paso Times

Two bodies were found in two area canals Saturday, sparking renewed warnings from Border Patrol officials to migrants about the dangers of crossing waterways.

The first body was found about 5 a.m. Saturday in a canal near a water treatment plant at 800 Canal, El Paso police spokesman Detective Carlos Carrillo said. The body was of a 28-year-old man from Ecatepec de Morelos state in central Mexico. His name was not released.

"At about 2 a.m., two Hispanic males were trying to cross the river. One got caught up in the current and was swept under water," Carrillo said.

Fire Department spokesman Lt. Mario Hernandez said the second man got out of the water and told a nearby Border Patrol agent about the other man.

Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said the drowning was the sixth this year of a migrant trying to cross a waterway into the United States at El Paso.

The second body, of a man in his 40s, was found in the Franklin Canal in Socorro about 10:30 a.m. Sheriff's Office spokesman Rick Glancey said the body might have been in the canal more than 24 hours. The case is being treated as a homicide pending an autopsy.

Mosier said migrants try to cross into the United States frequently at this time of year using canals or the Rio Grande.

"We believe ... migrants are misled by smugglers into thinking it's easy to cross the canals," Mosier said. "The canals are extremely treacherous because of the undertow and the swift currents."

Adriana M. Chávez may be reached at achavez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6117.