Group crossing border called 911 suffering from cold, Minnesota sheriff says

Advertisement

Advertise with us

ROSEAU, Minn. - Nine people were detained and one was missing after trying to walk across the Canada-United States border in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a Minnesota sheriff says.

Read this article for free:


By clicking the button above, an account will be created and you will begin to receive some of our recommended newsletters. You may opt out of any newsletter by visiting your Email and Communication Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of any email.

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!

As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.

Now, more than ever, we need your support.

Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.

Subscribe Now

or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.

Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
  • Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
Start now

*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/04/2023 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ROSEAU, Minn. – Nine people were detained and one was missing after trying to walk across the Canada-United States border in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a Minnesota sheriff says.

The group made their illicit crossing in woods near Sprague in southeastern Manitoba and called 911 at approximately 4 a.m. as they were suffering from hypothermia, Steve Gust, the sheriff of Roseau County, said Tuesday.

“Some were transferred to hospital but the majority of them were pretty good,” Gust said. “They were wet and had frozen clothing.”

A sheriff in Minnesota says nine people have been detained after crossing the Canada-U.S. border, and one person is still missing. Manitoba RCMP say they have people at the scene, including a search and rescue team looking for the reported missing person. The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police
A sheriff in Minnesota says nine people have been detained after crossing the Canada-U.S. border, and one person is still missing. Manitoba RCMP say they have people at the scene, including a search and rescue team looking for the reported missing person. The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on April 13, 2018.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

There is an official port of entry on a highway that runs through Sprague and across the border into Warroad, Minn., but Gust said the group was away from that port of entry.

U.S. customs officials said the group was located in a flooded bog west of Warroad. The area includes a large state forest that runs up to the border.

“Border patrol agents provided immediate care as medical first responders and contacted local emergency medical services and local law enforcement agencies for additional assistance as needed,” read a written statement from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.

“Agents were able to determine seven out of the nine people in the group had illegally entered the United States and did not have any documentation allowing them to be legally present in the United States.”

Manitoba RCMP had people in the area, including a search and rescue team looking for the reported missing person.

Last year, a family of four from India froze to death while trying to walk across the border further west, near Emerson, Man.

The frozen bodies of Jagdish Patel, 39; his wife Vaishaliben Patel, 37; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and their three-year-old son, Dharmik, were found on Jan. 19, 2022, just metres from the U.S. border.

Steve Shand, a Florida resident, was charged with human smuggling.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reported a growing number of people trying to enter North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin illegally from Canada since last fall.

— by Steve Lambert in Winnipeg

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2023

Report Error Submit a Tip

Lifestyles

LOAD LIFESTYLES ARTICLES