Latest local news, weather, high school sports in the Rio Grande Valley

A group of 33 Mexican soldiers is back home after crossing the Donna-Rio Bravo International Bridge in four military Hummers.

The soldiers surprised American officials at the bridge around 1:50 p.m. Tuesday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokes man Felix Garza said nobody was injured and the incident ended peacefully.

The soldiers spent a little more than three hours on American side of the bridge before being "processed" and being allowed to return home.

American officials would not confirm if the soldiers were fully armed but Garza said nobody was injured during the incident.

"I can't answer whether or not they were armed or not but I can tell you that they were conducting their work that they do as military and somehow they lost sight of the boundary line and entered U.S. territory," Garza said.

Border Patrol agents and local law enforcement agencies responded to the scene to support customs officers.  

Garza said that customs officers quickly initiated the proper protocols for the situation.

"We continue to work with our partners in Mexico," Garza said. "We continue to have a shared responsibility over the security of the border and we maintain constant communication with them."

U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement officials told Action 4 News that they will continue to investigate the incident.

Mexico's Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA) reports that the soldiers "involuntarily" crossed the border.

SEDENA officials reported that soldiers had to continue on their path because the only vehicle turnaround was on the American side of the border.

Mexico's Ministry of National Defense Released The Following Statement:

Reynosa, Tamps July 26, 2011 - The Ministry of National Defense, through its command post at the 8th Military Zone, informs the public that today, military personnel assigned to this area and out on patrol involuntarily crossed the border with the United States of America at the Rio Bravo-Donna International Bridge due to the vehicle turnaround being on the American side. The situation was cleared up with immigration officials in the neighboring nation. The military personnel returned to their national territory to continue their routine activities.

Declaración de la SEDENA:

Reynosa, Tamps., a 26 de julio de 2011.- La Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, por conducto de la comandancia de la 8/a. Zona Militar, informa a la opinión pública que esta fecha, personal militar jurisdiccionado a este mando territorial durante reconocimientos en la zona fronteriza, llevó a cabo un cruce involuntario de la frontera con los Estados Unidos de América, por el puente internacional “Rio Bravo-Donna”, en virtud de que el retorno vehicular se encuentra en el lado norteamericano, situación que fue aclarada a las autoridades de inmigración del vecino país en dicho punto; una vez hecho lo anterior, el personal militar retornó a territorio nacional para continuar con sus actividades rutinarias.