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US military surveillance blimp on loan to CBP is lost at the southern border, wreckage found in Mexico
The 66-foot aerostat drifted across the border after storms tangled its tether, and Mexican troops later found the wreckage.
- On Monday, a 66-foot surveillance blimp operated by Customs and Border Protection broke free from its tether near Laredo, Texas, and subsequently crashed in a remote location in Mexico.
- The blimp's tether cable became tangled with other lines during heavy thunderstorms on Monday evening, and according to National Weather Service data, wind gusts reached 44 miles per hour as operators attempted to untangle the system.
- CBP previously lost a 200-foot aerostat in March 2025 that floated nearly 600 miles before crashing near Dallas, while the Department of Defense has spent more than $5 billion purchasing more than 140 surveillance blimps since Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
- Joint Task Force-Southern Border confirmed the incident, and Mexican and US-Mexico border troops are coordinating to recover the aerostat; no crew were aboard and no ground personnel were injured.
- President Donald Trump's emphasis on hardening the border has brought CBP increased military equipment including radar and high-powered cameras to detect smugglers, though such deployments have occasionally resulted in unintended operational consequences.
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A surveillance blimp owned by the U.S. Armed Forces and operated by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) contractors near Laredo, Texas, broke free from its moorings on Monday…
US military surveillance blimp on loan to CBP is lost at the southern border, wreckage found in Mexico
A US military-owned surveillance blimp operated by Customs and Border Protection contractors near Laredo, Texas, broke free from its tether on Monday evening and later crashed in Mexico.
·Atlanta, United States
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Total News Sources28
Leaning Left1Leaning Right0Center27Last UpdatedBias Distribution96% Center
Bias Distribution
- 96% of the sources are Center
96% Center
C 96%
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