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El Centro Border Patrol Agents rescued eight individuals in two separate search and rescue operations Monday.

At approximately 11:30 a.m., Mexico's Search and Rescue Team, Grupo Beta , notified the El Centro Sector Border Patrol that they had received a call that 6 people were lost in a mountainous area north of the border. Agents co-ordinated with CBP pilots and were able to locate the group of people in distress about 25 miles west of Calexico and about 1 mile north of the border. The second incident occurred about 2 hours later when the California Highway Patrol received a 9 1 1 call stating that they were in distress. The caller was able to give a brief description of the terrain and from that , Border Patrol Agents were able to locate the caller and a second individual, in the open desert approximately 19 miles west of Calexico. All 8 individuals were provided first aid , all were determined to be citizens of Mexico and all 8 were voluntarily returned to Mexico. Temperatures in the Imperial Valley reached 116 degrees Monday afternoon. El Centro Secroe Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey A. Calhoun said, " This is a great example of how partnerships with other law enforcement agencies , both foreign and domestic , are critical in protecting our nations borders as well as saving lives."