By Lynn Brezosky, The Associated Press
LOS INDIOS, Texas (AP) -- Authorities on Monday began dragging the bottom of the Rio Grande to look for two Border Patrol agents, one of them from Washington state, who disappeared when their patrol boat capsized in the Rio Grande River.
After more than 18 hours of searching a 10-mile area with boats, helicopters, horse patrols, and dogs, McAllen sector Border Patrol Chief Ramon Ortega changed the status of the mission from rescue to recovery.
“At this point in time we’re looking at a recovery operation, although we still remain optimistic we’ll find these guys,” Border Patrol spokesman Eddie Flores said.
The missing agents were identified as Senior Border Patrol Agents Travis Attaway, 31, of D’Hanis, Texas, and 29-year-old Jeremy Wilson of Ferndale, Wash.
San Benito Fire Chief Orlando Garcia said divers planned to continue probing the water.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure that we can recover the two agents. We’ll be here as long as it takes,” he said. He said there was still hope of finding them alive.
Three agents were on regular patrol near the Los Indios International Bridge on Sunday when their boat capsized at about 2:40 p.m., Ortega said. The bridge is in a rural area about 10 miles south of Harlingen.
Ortega said the river was exceptionally high following several days of heavy rain.
“We’ve had an extraordinary amount of rain in the past year ... so consequently the river is treacherous.”
Agents on a nearby boat heard a distress call and were able to rescue Capt. Javier Sandoval within minutes by throwing out some ropes. Sandoval, 38, of Brownsville, was reportedly doing well at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen.
The U.S. Coast Guard, state police and numerous local emergency crews were helping the Border Patrol with the . Mexican forces searched the river’s south side.
The Coast Guard was investigating the accident. As of Monday, it was unclear whether the agents wore life jackets or whether the water was too rough for the patrol.
Sandoval, the survivor, had not yet been interviewed, Flores said.
Border Patrol agents routinely patrol the Rio Grande for illegal immigrants and drug smugglers, usually on shallow river boats like the 19-foot Predator that capsized. The boat was recovered.
Even when the river is low, it is known for dangerous currents. Dozens of illegal immigrants drown each year while trying to swim it.
Flores said it had been at least 50 years since a Border Patrol agent drowned while on duty on the Rio Grande.