The crew of US Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba returned to their homeport in Boston, on April 13, after a 54-day deployment in the Caribbean.
During the patrol, the Escanaba’s mission was to detect and interdict vessels suspected of narcotics trafficking in the waters south of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in support of Operation Unified Resolve.
The Escanaba, in conjunction with Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma, a 270-foot cutter homeported in Kittery, Maine, pursued two go-fast vessels and assisted in two multi-agency interdictions resulting in the detention of eight suspected drug smugglers and 1,300 pounds of cocaine, valued at $16 million.
Prior to the patrol, the Escanaba crew completed Tailored Ship’s Training Availability at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, which included 134 drills and exercises spanning five warfare areas: command and control, engineering, damage control, seamanship, and weapons.
The Medium Endurance Cutter Escanaba has a crew complement of 100. The Escanaba was commissioned into Coast Guard service on Aug. 29, 1987.
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Image: USCG