One of the 12 survivors, Marco Gonzalez Manzano of the town of Villagrande in the state of Guerrero, told Hernandez he had started the trip with two brothers. Now only one is alive. Others merely whispered that the whole episode had been a nightmare. Hospital officials identified the three other men with whom Hernandez spoke as Landa Ortiz, Maximiro Hilario and Jose Bautista. Their hometowns were not immediately known.
Officials say most of the crossers came from the state of Veracruz.
As the head of the new, Cabinet-level Presidential Office for Mexicans Abroad, Hernandez said it was his job to let the migrants know that Mexico is aware of what happened to them. It was the first time he has had to meet with migrants who almost died while crossing the border. The men evidently were pleased with Hernandez's visit. Rescuers found most in the group on Wednesday, spotting the first few about 30 miles north of the U.S.-Mexican border and about 30 miles south of Interstate 8. The air search for one remaining migrant continued through the day Thursday.