Mexican Military Helicopter Lands in Texas By Mistake During War Against Cartel
- Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:22pm by
Christopher Santarelli
- Print »
- Email »
A Mexican military helicopter has landed in Texas by mistake.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the helicopter landed Saturday afternoon at Laredo International Airport after the pilot mistook the airport for a landing strip in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
Laredo Port of Entry spokeswoman Mucia Dovalina says customs agents checked out the helicopter’s occupants and let them return to Mexico. She declined to say how many people were on board or whether they were armed.
The Houston Chronicle reports that this is just the latest breach that officials have called inadvertent as the Mexican military increases troop deployments in northeastern Mexico.
A convoy of soldiers crossed the international bridge at Donna last month only to processed by customs and sent back across the border.
Mexican military presence in the Mexican states bordering Texas has increased over the last 20 days during an assault on the drug trafficking organization known as the Zetas. Borderland Beat reports that Mexico deployed more than 4,000 soldiers, 722 vehicles and 23 aircraft, during the operation which has resulted in the death of a Zeta gang leader and the arrest of a major gang financier.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 706 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 553 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 368 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 362 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 362 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 362 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 368 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 286 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 149 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 362 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (125)
lylejk
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:21pmIf we had a wall, they would have know (just being an a-hole). lol
:)
Report Post »Tear Em Up
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:50pmIf you build it, they can’t come….lol Static defenses are easy to defeat, just ask France. Ever hear of the Maginot Line? I agree, however, on stricter border protection. With the technology available today there has to be a better way.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/mikeleeandterrymartin/Number_75_August_6th_2011.mp3
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:54pmHow can you cross the Rio Grande River and not know you’re in the United States? This is happening far too frequently for me.
Report Post »Lucy Larue
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 11:00pmLYLEJK,
Report Post »Really?! Just you being an as*#hole? How cute.LOL, NOT!
Get your learn on funny bunny. It’s no joke!
Do you understand that the Mexican drug war is CROSS BORDER?! Do you?
Do you understand that this great nation is under attack? If you do not wake up you and your ilk won’t be able to LOL about any damn thing!
Worse…,you’re taking people like me, who know what’s going on,over the abyss with you and your clown cronies!
WAKE THE F. UP!
Anarcho Capitalist
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 11:03pmAre we going to elect Ron Paul yet?
Report Post »Marci
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 11:58pmI guess if air traffic control had a handle on who was in the air, maybe it wouldn’t be a big problem, you think? But why bother, no wall, no attempt to control traffic, who cares, right?
*I do.
Report Post »lylejk
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 11:59pmNever meant to offend you or any one w.r.t. this matter Lucy Larue. I see how our laws and sovereignty is systematically being destroyed and not just from BO’s administration. All the Progressives including the Bush’s need to go away. Still, what we have is caused by who we voted in. Sad fact. Trust me when I tell you that you don’t have to blame me for what we have now. I live in Alabama and trust me when I tell you that our own Federal government is trying to fight us now too. Ultimately, only time will tell if we all wake up and put the Federal Government in its place (mimimum and security; neither of which they are doing right now. Case in point the borders and out of conrol spending). :)
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 12:16am@Tear — the Maginot Line was constructed only on the German frontier rather than the whole length of the French border. The Germans did what they did in WWI — came thru the Low Countries. Then in the Battle of the Bulge, they did it again — came thru the impenetrable Ardennes forest.
The failure was not the static defense but those who failed to plan an adequate defense to begin with. Like Red Cell, to prepare a proper defense, you have to think like the one who intends to break the defense.
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 12:36amTwo points:
1) It is funny that the Air Force scrambles 3 F-16′s for a 76 YO lady in an antique plane…but fail to respond to this.
2) Heck, as long as they were here and about to head back…should have filled it up with some of their cousins.
Report Post »hifi74
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 8:52amLoriann, to be honest there are parts of the Rio Grande that I can pee across. I can see how they might not of even seen the river or mistake it for a small drainage ditch.
Report Post »Finger Follie
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 11:22amMaybe this was just a trial run for the invasion by Mexico.
Report Post »Tear Em Up
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 11:57am@Elena2010, True, the Maginot line only covered one part of the French border. I stand by my statement however. Static defenses are the most easily defeated. During the time of castles invaders built siege towers, ever hear of Masada? Static defenses are built in one place, with one purpose. An invader hell bent on defeating them will figure a way out. Our own Special Forces are trained to be adaptable and think on their feet. Why? Because static plans are the first to fail during the chaos of battle.
I personally believe there is a better technology based system to secure the border, than a static wall. Have a great day! ;^)
Report Post »Roberto G. Vasquez
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 1:08pmMaybe they were returning some of the 2500 illegal guns sent to Mexico by our brilliant leaders?
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:13pmThis is pure bull c–p… they are again testing the waters to see how far they can go and what they can get away with. I cannot believe they have such inept pilots that they would land in TX.. I think our southern border cities need to really watch what not only their streets, mountains and deserts, they will need to watch the skies!
Report Post »Jediusetheforce
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:14pmWe are a peaceful nation. LOL
Report Post »Wilkins
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:55pmHow do you spell GPS again?
You can buy a Chevy Aveo with better navigational systems than this Mexican helicopter.
Report Post »RationalMan
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 11:16pmabbygirl1994,
I agree, they were testing the water….
Reminds, me of the movie “Red Dawn” (Older version) people it’s coming……
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 11:27pm@rationalman
Or Invasion USA, with Chuck Norris.
Report Post »RationalMan
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 11:45pmloriann12,
Dam, I forgot about this movie, now I’m going to have to rent it and see it!
Thanks for the input!
Cheers!!!! ;)
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 8:26am@RationalMan
I know! I went immediately to NetFlix and put it in my queue.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:09pmDid they have to go through TSA and get the ouching aves mericans treatment.
Report Post »Brasil2520
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:06pmAs the ******* in Yemen is reading this story he is thinking, note to self to enter America just fly into Laredo Airport they won’t shoot us down.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:14pmالله الأب on the side of the helicopter just might give them away.
Report Post »PeachyinGA
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:02pmInteresting how tight-lipped the Port Authority is with details of Mexican passengers when you compare how U.S. authorities are ready to blab every secret detail about Seal Team 6 (how many, where, why, family location….) putting future missions and military at risk. What world are we living in????
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:10pmI’ve wondered about that myself. Did we really need to know that B.O. had his picture taken with the actual Seal Team 6? Did we need to know all the details that the government is blabbing all over? I guess B.O. is too young to remember “Loose lips sink ships”.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:01pmAccording to the maps created by Sons of Noah, the Mexican Helicopter landed in Spanish territory.
Report Post »AzSage
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:57pmOla Gringos!!!!
Report Post »Jediusetheforce
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:13pmYo Quiero Taco Bell?
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:57pmIf we were like the Iranians(Aryans) we would accuse them of being spies, place them in prison for two years, and conduct kangaroo courts to play charades.
Report Post »redbone007
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:54pmWait just a minute, how many times are they going to keep making these type of mistakes. They have crossed our border too many times by mistake….something is not right here.
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:54pmLet me get this straight. A Mexican helo pilot mistook an international airport for a landing strip? OK. I do believe that Laredo Tx. & Nuevo Laredo are only about six miles apart. (Let me know if wrong about that) But come on, did he have any electronics onboard? Did he know how to use them? Could he not see the fn’ RIO GRANDE RIVER he crossed?
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:05pmThe Rio Grande is probably dried up.
However something smells a little ‘fishy’.
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:57pmExactly, airport versus landing strip. There’s no way this was accidental.
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 12:19amIt’s not dry there. It often runs dry up around El Paso until other tributaries feed in. It’s dried up at Brownsville in the past decade, as well. I live on the river betw Laredo and Brownsville.
Report Post »In The Right
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 12:34amThe Mexican’t (figure out where he is) likely landed as a result of “engine problems” after ejecting bales of methamphetamine and marijuana inside the US border.
Report Post »thx1138v2
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:10amParts of both Laredo and Nuevo Laredo (the Mexican side) are only separated by the Rio Grand river – maybe 100 Yards. Take a look at a map and you’ll see that the Laredo International Airport is about 3 miles inside the border.
At 80 knots it would take about 3 minutes to cross the border and be at the airfield. Not much time to respond unless they were already on alert which they were not.
Report Post »Doc
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:22amThe two cities are only divided by the river. Geographically they are the same. The mexican airport is on the southwest side and the American one on the north east side.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:50pmWas probably being chased by a drug cartel helicopter, went across the border, cartel followed, they saw a US airport and landed. The cartel then turned back to Mexico. No way they were lost! They were scared and running to Big Brother.
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:50pmWhy wasnt F-16′s scrambled to intercept or a drone with a few hellfire missles attached. This is absolutely discusting our southern border being crossed at will evan by the corrupted cartel backed Mexican Military. Hey BIG SIS “Do your dayum job and seal the border” PERIOD!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:54pmThe F-16‘s were all in Chicago protecting Obama’s B-Day party-fund raiser! They did catch a 75 year old lady flying her 1941 Cub!
Report Post »Dinkiecb
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:49pmThere’s no way you can mistaken the border crossing in Laredo.. nor the airport… the troops were hoping not to be sent back across the bridge lol
Report Post »YANKEE216
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:48pmThis is so funny. I needed to here that, and I thought our gov’t was inept. We now found common ground with Mexico
Report Post »ISRAELISOURFRIEND
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:47pmHAD THE US CROSSED THE ADIZ WITH A MILITARY HELICOPTER ALL HELL WOULD HAVE BROKEN LOOSE AGAINST THOSE DAMN AMERICANS.
TIME TO PUSH BACK NOT JUST THEIR MILITARY, BUT THE ILLEGALS AND KNOCK THOSE IDIOTS OUT OF OUR WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS.
IT‘S TIME FOR PATRIOTIC AMERICANS TO RISE UP AND RECLAIM OUR GOD GIVEN LIBERTIES AND FREEDOMS AND SECURE THIS INFILTRATED BORDER SINCE THE TRAITORS DON’T INTEND ON SECURING IT.
God bless the USA!
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:57pmWell SAID and I’M READY!!!
Report Post »westy98530
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 1:45amAt my last squadron in just the 3 years I was there there were 4 pilots that accidentally flew into mexican airspace. It happens more than you’d think. So, no, flying a military helicopter across the border does NOT result in all hell breaking loose. Although in one of the incidents, AMERICAN controllers launched F-16s to intercept our bird as they saw it cross back across the border (apparently he was asleep when it accidentally crossed south). Mexico certainly never said anything about it
Report Post »Cause4Liberty
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:38pmThat wasn’t the military, that was Mexico’s finest restaurant delivering food service. Thanks for the Fajitas! Adios Amigos.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:45pmThe mexican in that picture looks pretty po’ed that his cousin in Dallas didnt do his part
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:37pmTexas State Patrol should be able to handle the Mexican Army without too much trouble.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:14pmOr the Boy Scouts.
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:33pmI‘m sure there’s more to this story…
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:41pmThats a clever way to jump the border . How many pregnant women were on on on board
Report Post »crapgame
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:54pmUBETHECHANGE, You are correct. The Mexican government, is testing Our border security looking for weak links, and soft spots. We all know that Hamas, Hezbolah, and Al-Queda are working with the drug cartels to infiltrate Our nations border. The Mexican army is totaly corrupt, and this is another way for them to make money, by helping the enemy.
Report Post »The big picture is that the Chinese are slowly using thier “ art of war ” to slowly build up an invasion force using all of south America, and Cuba, as a staging ground. The Chinese will take as long as it is deemed wise to weaken Us as they strenghten thier plan. With the help of all the latin Americans as cannon fodder, the Chinese will roll up through Mexico, and take the United States, with hardly a shot fired. Sound crazy, I used to think so too !
corbecket
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:33pmHere’s another pilot that will carry this operational error through the rest of his career. Landing at the wrong airport even happens to Delta pilots, so we’re not picking on Mexican aviators in this post.
Still, very embarassing, but little more.
Report Post »I Love Howie Carr
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:02pmWell wrong airport is understandable. They land at many different airports all day here commercially. A military landing in the wrong country…. that’s different. Agreed w/ others …. there’s more going on here.
Report Post »hifi74
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:33pmWait…. this isn’t where we parked our trucks???
Report Post »Bill Wallace
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:31pmIn the world of GPS, if you can’t figure out where you are, incompetence is too minor of a word to describe the mental state.
No wonder they can’t win against drug cartels. They are idiots.
Report Post »AR_OR_AK
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:47pmSeems like a dry run to me. I agree, if we have GPS on everything (so the guvmint can better track us), then surely the mehican military has some GPS on it’s helicopters.
Report Post »Epic Fail
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:30pmFinally some Mexicans cross the boarder that we could use, and we send them back home!!!!
Report Post »123456789_0
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:29pmover 10,000 dead in mexico; billions spent in the US against drug trafficers in the war on drugs; an entire global terrorist network funded through the illegal drug trade.
time to put an end to the war on drugs, legalize it, end cartel activity, stop wasting tax dollars, generate billions and billions in tax revenue, and relieve the strain on prisons?
DO IT!
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:38pmLegalize what specifically? The weed? The Meth? The Heroin? All of it?
Report Post »Who will legalize “drugs”? The Federal Government? Did they originally have the constitutional power to criminalize them? Do the states?
Stay tuned to The Future® for this and other questions answered!
joanct
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:05pmLegalizing drugs comes with its own problems. If it is legal, drug use will logically go up. Additional drug users will need monetary assistance in the areas of health care, housing, food, support for their children, their drugs (can’t just let them go cold turkey if they can’t afford the next fix). Domestic violence is higher for drug and alcohol abusers also.
You can’t just solve a problem by legalizing it. If that was the case, then we could just legalize everything, and then no one would be breaking the law.
Report Post »right-wing-waco
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 10:28pmjoanct
The federal government does not have ANY authority to regulate drugs, legal or illegal. This is a state issue. Get rid of DEA & a bunch of other illegal departments and the saved money could be given back to the taxpayers to spend, thus creating a good economy. As for drug use going up, there would be no use for the cartels, (and the killing), or drug dealers as the drugs would be made in drug factories an would be clean and pure. The drugs should be regulated just like alcohol & tobacco products.
Face it… the war on drugs does not work and is a big waste of our money.
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:26pmOops — we need to beef up the good guys on both sides of the border. I live here, and most of us exercise our 2n Amendment Right. We also worry abt Hezbollah teaming up w/the Zetas and Gulf Cartels. They have taught the cartels some new, awful tricks.
Report Post »StuntDrivin4U
Posted on August 7, 2011 at 9:25pmHmmm Mexican military increase in TC by 20% Sounds fishy!
Report Post »