Border Patrol rescues drowning woman suspected of illegally entering U.S.

Feb. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. Border Patrol agents rescued a drowning woman who allegedly attempted to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, the agency said Tuesday.

The 25-year-old Mexican woman was crossing a section of the New River in Calexico, Calif., when agents spotted her on Saturday.

"The woman in the water began struggling to stay afloat and started to drown," the Border Patrol said in a news release. "An agent acted quickly, and threw a rescue line to the woman. The woman was able to get a hold of the rescue line and the agent pulled her to safety."

Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim said the agent who rescued her "took swift action to prevent a tragedy from happening."

The woman was not publicly identified. She appeared to not suffer any significant injuries and declined medical attention.

After the rescue, the woman was arrested for suspicion of illegal entry.

Between Oct. 1, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2017, the Border Patrol reported 294 deaths of people illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

That was a 17 percent increase from the previous year.