A Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol balloon, called an “aerostat,” broke away this past Saturday as a gust of wind from a coming storm tore it free from of its mooring. The balloon floated free until a safety protocol in the form of a self-heating disc burned a hole in it, causing it to deflate it and return to the ground in La Joya.
A border patrol crew monitors the site at all hours to keep an eye on the balloon, which is used to help capture illegal aliens.
The aerostat has once again been returned to its home site in Penitas, Texas, much to the relief of town residents who felt safer with the balloon overhead. They say they had seen their share of illegals and smugglers come through town - before the border patrol deployed the balloon. They’ve even witnessed pursuits within their neighborhoods. They say the aerostat balloon has been a great help and are very happy to have it flying over them once again.
This is the first time this has ever happened in the aerostat's history. There are five of these balloons across the Rio Grande Valley. The Border Patrol Agency held a press event to announce the balloon's redeployment and says it is conducting an internal investigation in order to prevent future balloon escapes.