IBWC U.S head dies in plane crash in Sierra Madres

U.S. Commissioner Carlos Marin and his Mexico counterpart Arturo Herrera of the International Boundary and Water Commission were among four occupants who died when an airplane crashed in a remote area of the Sierra Madre mountain range southeast of Nogales.

After an expansive search, the wreckage was found Wednesday about 23 miles northwest of Presidio, Texas, and 13 miles into Mexico.

At about 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, the two commissioners, Jake Brisbin Jr., executive director of the Rio Grande Council of Governments, and Matthew Peter Juneau, the pilot, departed El Paso International Airport on a charter flight to Presidio.

The commission said their plan was to assess flooding of the Rio Grande in the Presidio, Texas,-Ojinaga, Chihuahua, border area and to coordinate joint-response efforts with local officials and the Mexican government.

When he learned of the crash, Nogales, Ariz., Mayor Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel said, “It was with great sadness that we learned about this event.” Deputy City Manager John Kissinger and City Engineer Juan Guerra met with Marin and Herrera on Sept. 11. They discussed ways to deal with the deteriorating Nogales Wash and the wash tunnel that runs below Nogales, Ariz., and Nogales, Sonora.

The IBWC was created in 1889 by the United States and Mexico to administer several boundary and water-rights treaties and agreements between the two countries.

Marin, 54, was appointed by President George W. Bush in December 2006 after 27 years of service to the commission.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749