Akwesasne, N.Y. — A boat carrying six people from India sank last week in an Upstate New York river while illegally crossing the United States border from Canada, federal agents said.
On April 28, a report of suspicious activity was made to the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, according to news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department responded and observed the boat taking on water and sinking in the Saint Regis River in Akwesasne, border patrol agents said.
The boat, which was also carrying a U.S. citizen along with the six people from India, was traveling from Canada near Cornwall, Ontario, toward the United States, border patrol agents said.
Border patrol agents from the Massena Border Patrol Station and the Hogansburg-Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department (HAVFD) arrived to find the boat almost entirely underwater, according to the release.
One of the people jumped from the sinking boat and made his way to the shoreline, border patrol agents said. The HAVFD deployed a rescue boat and was able to pull the other six people from the water.
It was later determined there were no life jackets or other safety equipment on board the sinking boat, according to the release.
The water temperature was just above freezing, so all seven people were evaluated and treated for hypothermia by EMTs, according to border patrol agents.
The seven people were arrested by border patrol agents and taken to the border patrol station for processing, according to the release.
The six citizens of India, whose ages ranged from 19 to 21, were charged with improper entry by alien, border patrol agents said.
The U.S. citizen, was charged with alien smuggling, a felony that carries a penalty of a fine and up to 10 years in prison for each violation, according to the release.
The Swanton Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol is responsible for securing the land border between ports of entry in Vermont, New Hampshire and northeastern New York.
The U.S. Border Patrol asks all suspicious activity to be reported by calling them at 1-800-689-3362.
Staff writer James McClendon covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach him at 914-204-2815 or jmcclendon@syracuse.com.