Coast Guard repatriates more than 200 undocumented migrants. During a busy week, multiple units within District Seven's area of responsibility interdicted 127 undocumented Haitian migrants and 77 Cuban nationals March 12 and March 13. The Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane's crew transferred 127 Haitians and three Cuban nationals to Bahamian authorities, March 13. The Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore’s crew repatriated 74 people to Cuba, following four interdictions of undocumented migrants due to safety-of-life at sea concerns March 12. “The Coast Guard maintains a persistent presence patrolling the waters around Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas, to help prevent loss of life,” said Lt. Cmdr. Salomee Briggs, Coast Guard District Seven legal. “Taking to the sea is very dangerous. We urge you not to risk you and your loved-ones' lives.” Since Oct. 1, 2021, Coast Guard crews have rescued 1,193 Haitians. Read more here and here.
Coast Guard rescues 5 from capsized vessel in Port O'Connor, Texas. The Coast Guard rescued five boaters from a capsized pleasure craft near the Big Jetties in Port O'Connor, Texas, March 11. Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi command center personnel issued an urgent marine information broadcast (UMIB) and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Port O'Connor 29-foot Response Boat–Small boat. Once on scene, the boat crew pulled all five boaters from the water and transferred them to awaiting emergency medical services at Clark's Marina. "Thanks to the fact that the boaters in the water were all wearing lifejackets, our crew was able to quickly spot and rescue them," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Sabastian Sossamon, coxswain from the case. "We train every day for situations like this, but the boaters' decision to wear life jackets made our job a little easier today." Read more.
Coast Guard cutters return home following patrol in Oceania. The crews of the Coast Guard Cutters Juniper and Joseph Gerczak returned to Honolulu after completing a 42-day patrol in Oceania in support of Operation Aiga, March 7. Both crews deployed on a combined 14,000-mile patrol to provide maritime support and patrol coverage for Samoa and American Samoa’s exclusive economic zones as well as conducting joint-training operations with the armed forces in French Polynesia. “The Coast Guard remains committed to combating [illegal, unreported, and unregulated] fishing as fish stocks remain a critical component to maritime sovereignty and resource security for many nations, especially those in the Pacific,” said Cmdr. Jeff Bryant, chief of enforcement for Coast Guard District 14. “The Juniper and Joseph Gerczak were able to establish stability for our partners on the high seas and while patrolling their EEZs in support of Operation Aiga.” Additionally, the Juniper and Joseph Gerczak crews helped fill an operation
al presence, conducting security patrols in Samoa’s EEZ throughout the month of February to protect fisheries and other natural resources while Samoa’s Nafanua II patrol boat was down. Read more.
Coast Guard Cutter Midgett returns home following 3-month Alaskan Patrol. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Midgett returned to homeport in Honolulu, after a three-month long Bering Sea patrol, March 4. Midgett’s crew enforced federal laws and regulations in the U.S. exclusive economic zone near Alaska’s Aleutian Islands chain. They played a strategic role in protecting the nation’s critical marine resources, enforcing fisheries and safety regulations, and were forward positioned to safeguard the U.S. commercial fishing fleet. "Navigating Alaskan waters was extremely exciting and rewarding,” said the Midgett’s commanding officer, Capt. Willie Carmichael. “I’m proud and impressed by my crew’s service and commitment to promote safety and security in Alaskan fisheries that are so vital to the U.S. economy.” Read more.