A military helicopter crashed Friday near Rio Grande City along the southern U.S. border, killing three people onboard who have now been identified.
National Guard warrant officers Casey Frankoski and John Grassia and Border Patrol agent Chris Luna died after the UH-72 Lakota helicopter they were aboard crashed. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the crash. A third National Guard member was aboard the aircraft and is currently in critical condition at an area hospital.
All three National Guard soldiers were deployed with the New York National Guard.
“We are all shocked and devastated by the loss of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Grassia and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Frankoski,” said Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, reported Stars and Stripes. “We are praying for the quick recovery of the crew chief who was injured in the crash. Our deepest condolences also go out to the family and friends of the … Border Patrol agent who was also killed.”
Grassia joined the National Guard in 2013 as a helicopter maintenance specialist, according to reporting by NBC. The pilot of the aircraft, Frankoski, joined the National Guard in 2016.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement identifying the Border Patrol agent killed in the crash.
“We mourn alongside Agent Luna’s family, including his wife and two children, parents, and brother. We will continue to provide them with strength and support from their CBP family. We will forever honor Chris’s service, and we will never forget his and family’s tremendous sacrifice,” the statement reads.
The fourth person has not been identified publicly but is believed to have been the aircrew chief responsible for the maintenance of the aircraft.
“The thoughts and prayers of the entire CBP workforce are with the U.S. Border Patrol and the National Guard, with the National Guardsman who is recovering from serious injuries, and with all impacted by this tragedy,” the CBP statement reads.
President Joe Biden released a statement Saturday commending the service of those killed in the crash, as reported by CNN.
“These brave Americans dedicated their lives to protecting our nation. They signed up knowing the risks and believing in the mission of serving their fellow Americans by keeping our nation safe,” Biden said.
This is the second helicopter crash along the southern border in recent months. A Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter crashed in January while conducting night operations as part of Operation Lone Star, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The two DPS officers onboard the aircraft both survived after the helicopter lost power and went into an uncontrollable auto-rotative descent, according to a statement from DPS. The cause of that crash is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
