Courtesy Photo | A Coast Guard Cutter Alert (WMEC 630) small boat crew transfers migrants to Coast...... read more read more
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Alert (WMEC 630) returned home to Cape Canaveral, Thursday, following a 60-day patrol in the Florida Straits.
This marked the cutter’s first patrol since it shifted home ports from Astoria, Oregon to Cape Canaveral in June of this year.
The crew deployed in support of Homeland Security Task Force - Southeast (HSTF-SE) and Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS) while operating in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility. Throughout the patrol, the crew of Alert conducted maritime safety and security missions to protect life at sea and enforce U.S. maritime law.
While on patrol, the crew rescued four Cuban migrants in the south Florida Straits after they were discovered adrift after several days in the water. After embarking the migrants, Alert’s crew provided care to include treating signs and symptoms of severe sunburn and attending to dehydration.
Amidst an active hurricane season, the crew maneuvered throughout the South Florida Straits to evade Hurricane Milton. Alert avoided storm damage to ensure response readiness after the hurricane.
Working alongside other Coast Guard units, Alert’s crew provided care to additional migrants who were transferred to the cutter. Once on board the cutter, 7 Cuban and 13 Ecuadorian migrants all received medical and humanitarian care.
During the patrol, the crew of Alert worked with Coast Guard Cutters Margaret Norvell (WPC 1105), William Trump (WPC 1111), Paul Clark (WPC 1106) and William Flores (WPC 1103).
“Coast Guard Cutter Alert is a legacy 210-foot medium endurance cutter that is currently maintaining a vital stopgap ahead of final delivery of the next generation offshore ships,” said Cmdr. Lee K. Crusius, commanding officer of Alert. “America’s Coast Guard is sustaining this current fleet but will be superior at executing missions aboard our future cutters.”
HSTF-SE serves as the Department of Homeland Security lead for operational and tactical planning, command and control, and acts as a standing organization to interdict unlawful maritime migration attempts with federal, state and local partners. HSTF-SE continues to enhance enforcement efforts in support of OVS, which is the 2004 DHS plan to respond to mass maritime migration in the Caribbean Sea and the Florida Straits.
The next generation of Coast Guard cutters is the Offshore Patrol Cutter, a 360-foot ship designed for sustained offshore presence and capabilities. Coast Guard Cutter Argus (WMSM 915), the first cutter produced in this class of ships, was launched in October of 2023.
Alert is a 210-foot, Reliance-class medium endurance cutter homeported in Cape Canaveral. The cutter’s primary missions are counter-narcotic and migrant interdiction operations, living marine resources protection, and search and rescue in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit www.GoCoastGuard.com to learn more about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found at https://uscga.edu.
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| Date Taken: | 12.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2024 13:27 |
| Story ID: | 487002 |
| Location: | CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 545 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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