5 stranded migrant kids rescued from rain-swollen Rio Grande

EL PASO, Texas -- U.S. Border Patrol agents rescued five unaccompanied migrant teenagers early Thursday, saving them from potentially drowning in the Rio Grande near the Ysleta Port of Entry.

Officials said the five Guatemalan kids - ranging in age from 14 to 17 - became stranded in the river around 12:20 a.m. due to the heavy rains over the past several days. Eight other children were able to make it across the river - but were taken into custody by border agents.

The Border Patrol indicated in a statement that the children were "part of a larger group of approximately 40 unaccompanied migrant children that attempted to enter the United States illegally." The agency said Mexican authorities were able to keep the remaining children from crossing the river.

The 13 migrant kids caught by Border Patrol were being turned over to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for operating shelters and arranging for the care of unaccompanied minors.