Two U.S. National Guard members and a Border Patrol agent were killed and a fourth person was injured when a helicopter went down near Rio Grande City, Texas, on Friday, officials said.
Officials in New York identified the two soldiers who died as Army National Guard members Casey Frankoski and John Grassia III. The Border Patrol agent was identified as Chris Luna by the Department of Homeland Security.
The injured person is also a New York Army National Guard soldier, according to the National Guard Bureau.
The UH-72 Lakota helicopter crashed around 2:50 p.m. local time while it was "conducting aviation operations" in the area of Rio Grande City, on the border of Texas and Mexico, according to a statement from the Defense Department’s Joint Task Force North.
The helicopter had been assigned to a support mission at the southwest border of the U.S., the statement said.
Michael Stammel, the mayor of Rensselaer, New York, said in a post on Facebook that Frankoski was a Rensselaer native and excellent student who "excelled in sports and community service before joining the New York National Guard," where she was a helicopter pilot.
Grassia, 30, joined the New York State Police in April 2022 and was most recently assigned to Troop G, according to the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association.
He "was dedicated to serving and protecting not only the citizens of New York State but also the citizens of the entire United States," the association said.
In a statement, President Joe Biden said the third soldier “was badly injured in the crash and is hospitalized.” There were no further details about the soldier’s current condition.
“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 in the statement. “Our gratitude is profound, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the National Guard bureau chief, said the deaths of the two Army National Guard members and the Border Patrol officer were tragic.
"We mourn these heartbreaking deaths. They are a tragic loss beyond words," Hokanson said in a statement. "We pray for the speedy recovery of a third Guard Soldier who was seriously injured. All of these people represent selfless service & the best of America."
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said on X that he is sending his "deepest condolences to the families of the National Guard soldier & Border Patrol agent who passed away & those who were injured in a helicopter crash near La Grulla, TX."
The cause of the crash is under investigation.