National Guard helicopter crashes near southern border in Texas, killing at least 3 on board

A helicopter carrying three National Guard soldiers and a Border Patrol agent crashed Friday near the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, killing at least three on board, officials said. 

The helicopter went down in La Grulla, a border town that sits near the Rio Grande in Starr County.

Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, the county's top local official, said the fourth person was in critical condition.

THOUSANDS OF NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS HAVE NOT RECEIVED PROMISED ENLISTMENT BONUSES

A National Guard helicopter seen after crashing in La Grulla, Texas on Friday.

Law enforcement sources told Fox News that the three National Guard soldiers were working on federal orders on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security.

The helicopter was a New York National Guard "Lakota."

Authorities in La Grulla, Texas, at the site of a National Guard helicopter crash. 

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Starr County Sheriff's Office, the National Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

In January, a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter on a patrol mission crashed along the state's border with Mexico lost power and crashed. The co-pilot suffered a minor hand injury and the helicopter was significantly damaged.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.