Washington — Two service members deployed to the U.S. southern border are dead and a third is in serious condition after a vehicle accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, the military announced late Tuesday. The troops were with 1st Marine Division, attached to Joint Task Force – Southern Border.
The Marines were traveling from Santa Teresa, New Mexico, to El Paso, Texas, at the time of the incident, military officials said.
The region where the accident took place is just over the state line and west of Fort Bliss, a major Army installation in West Texas that’s played a critical role in dispatching military deportation flights and served as a touchpoint for thousands of soldiers and pieces of equipment now deployed along the border.
The troops are there in support of President Trump’s executive order to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. Their deaths are the first stemming from that operation, according to The Washington Post, which says the accident involved a vehicle rollover.
A defense official speaking on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details not yet made public told The Associated Press the accident occurred in a civilian vehicle, and said no civilians were harmed.
The accident didn’t involve any of the scores of Stryker vehicles the Pentagon has sent down to the border to perform patrols, the official said.
The accident occurred around 8:50 a.m. MDT Tuesday. The names of the deceased won’t be released until 24 hours after their next of kin are notified, the military said.
