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Story summary
- A U.S. military surveillance blimp on loan to Customs and Border Protection broke free near Laredo, drifted into Mexico, and crashed.
- Rep. Henry Cuellar said smaller aerostats cost roughly $5.3 million annually to operate.
- The 66-foot helium-filled aerostat carried no crew and caused no injuries when it broke free.
- Storms with gusts up to 44 mph tangled the tether, prompting Mexican and U.S. troops to coordinate recovery in a remote area.
