Crime

2 Migrants Found Dead, 10 Others Hospitalized After Being Found in Texas Train Car: Police

"We will work with the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office to hold those responsible," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tweeted on Friday

By Kimberlee Speakman

Published on March 25, 2023 05:57 PM

In this March 24, 2023, image courtesy of Uvalde County Constable Emmanuel Zamora, law enforcement and medical personnel gathered next to a stopped train near Knippa, Texas. - An anonymous emergency telephone call on March 24 led authorities to halt a train that contained a group of "suffocating" migrants, two of whom were dead, police in Texas said. The US Border Patrol stopped the train east of Knippa, a small community in southern Texas near the city of San Antonio, police said. (Photo by Emmanuel Zamora / Uvalde County Constable / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Uvalde County Constable Emmanuel Zamora" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (Photo by EMMANUEL ZAMORA/Uvalde County Constable /AFP via Getty Images) — Photo: EMMANUEL ZAMORA/Uvalde County Constable /AFP via Getty

Two people have died and ten others were hospitalized after they were found "suffocating" in a train car, Uvalde Police said.

Authorities said they received a tip at the Uvalde Telecommunications Center on Friday at 3:50 p.m. that there had been several "undocumented immigrants" in need of medical attention, prompting U.S. Border Patrol to stop the train about three miles east of Knippa, Texas located near Uvalde.

Upon locating the car, officers found two dead and 15 others in need of "immediate medical attention." Five were flown to hospitals in San Antonio, and five others were transported via ambulance to another nearby hospital. Police said their conditions were currently unknown.

U.S. Homeland Security Investigations told the San Antonio-Express News that the two adults that were found dead were men from Honduras. Authorities told the publication that their cause of death was likely heat-related.

Homeland Security Investigations told the San Antonio-Express News in a statement that it was investigating the incident and "looking at the possibility of human smuggling."

"We are heartbroken to learn of yet another tragic incident of migrants taking the dangerous journey," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tweeted on Friday. "We will work with the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office to hold those responsible. Smugglers are callous and only care about making a profit."

Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin told ABC News that there had been 17 immigrants total found on board the train car.

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"We need to look at the southern border. This happens every day, if it's not my town it's somebody else's or our county ... it's every day down here," McLaughlin told the outlet.

In a separate interview with the San Antonio-Express News, he said, "It's become more common because these human smugglers have no regard for human life. On that train, there were 12 migrants that were locked in a shipping container wired shut from the outside."

Uvalde Police said train operator Union Pacific will be leading an investigation of the incident.

Union Pacific said in a statement to ABC News that it was "deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life."

"Safety is our focus, and we have strict policies in place to prevent unauthorized access of our trains," Union Pacific said. "We do not condone or facilitate illegal activity, and we will continue to work with officials for the safe and humane treatment of everyone who comes into contact with our company."

A portion of Highway 90 had been closed due to the investigation, but was reopened at around 6:50 p.m. that afternoon, police said.