USCG responds to Haiti for humanitarian aid following 7.2 earthquake. On August 15, Haiti’s government requested Coast Guard assistance following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake. The Coast Guard committed numerous air and surface assets to help in transporting medical personnel and supplies, and transporting critically injured citizens to facilities needing a higher level of care in Port au Prince, Haiti. “On behalf of the Coast Guard I express our deepest sympathies to the people of Haiti," said Coast Guard District Seven commander, Adm. Brendan McPherson. "Our hearts go out to our Haitian diaspora here in Miami and to those tragically impacted in Haiti. We are supporting USAID humanitarian relief efforts, U.S. Southern Command’s Enduring Promise, and coordinating closely with Ambassador Sison and her country-team to assist in every way that we can.” Learn more.
USCG Cutter James offloads nearly 51,000 pounds of cocaine and marijuana worth approximately $1.4 billion at Port Everglades, Florida, August 5. The Coast Guard Cutter James returned home from an 82-day patrol working alongside other Coast Guard cutters, U.S. Navy ships and international allies, supporting drug interdiction efforts in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean to put increased pressure on the drug trafficking organizations operating in Central and South America. The James is one of three 418-foot National Security Cutters (NSC) homeported in North Charleston, S.C. With its robust command, control, communication, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance equipment, the NSC is the most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet. Learn more.
USCG, good Samaritan rescue 3 in Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued three mariners after their vessel capsized, Aug. 20. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina command center received a report from Dare County 911 of a capsized vessel. When the Coast Guard boatcrew arrived on scene, the good Samaritan’s vessel, Rock Solid, was rescuing one of the mariners from the water. The Coast Guard boat crew retrieved the other two boaters from the water and brought the third aboard from the good Samaritan’s vessel. One boater reportedly suffered a head injury. The boat crew transported the mariners to Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet where emergency medical services were waiting. Learn more.
USCG completes Operation Nanook 2021. Strengthening partnerships and testing interoperability, the Coast Guard Cutters Escanaba and Richard Snyder participated in Operation Nanook in early to mid-August. Operation Nanook is the Canadian Armed Forces' signature Arctic operation, comprising a series of comprehensive, joint, interagency, and multinational activities designed to exercise the defense of Canada and security in the region and incident management response and search rescue capabilities. With commercial traffic and cruise ships increasingly visible in the Arctic, international collaborations are necessary to meet this increased traffic's potential search and rescue challenges. "We had excellent training with the crews of HMCS Harry Dewolf (AOPV 430), HMCS Goose Bay (MM 707), and Richard Snyder. The joint effort during Tuugaalik and Tatigiit included multi-ship small boat training, formation steaming, hailing and signals exercises, and more. Weather, especially in the Arctic, is a genuine consideration, and increasing sea state and fog tested us," said Cmdr. Ben Spector, Escanaba commanding officer. Learn more.
USCG rescues 3 from boat fire 150 miles south of Golfito, Costa Rica after their boat caught fire. Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) Costa Rica contacted the Eleventh Coast Guard District command center August 18, relaying a report of a fire aboard the fishing boat Baula X with three people aboard. The three mariners abandoned the boat and were clinging to a buoy in the water while maintaining communication with the vessel administrator via satellite phone. The Coast Guard Cutter Northland crew dispatched their MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to search for the crew of the Baula X and located the mariners at their last known position. RCC Costa Rica is coordinating with the Avra GR crew to transfer the three mariners back to Costa Rica. Learn more.