Astoria, Oregon – The Crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast returned home to Astoria, Oregon on December 24th, 2017 following a 50-day counterdrug patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast boarding team members intercept a suspected Low Profile Vessel with approximately 3,203 pounds of cocaine onboard in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Nov. 30, 2017. Steadfast was patrolling the waterways supporting the Joint Interagency Task Force –South with the primary mission of detecting and interdicting illegal drug traffickers. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
According to a press release, the crew of the Steadfast patrolled international waters off the coast of Mexico and Central America, disrupting Transnational Organized Crime networks through joint interagency counterdrug operations. The crew stopped and boarded five separate vessels who they suspected of being engaged in illegal drug smuggling. One such vessel was a low profile, custom-built fabricated boat specifically built to evade law enforcement. The five interdictions resulted in a total seizure of nearly 12,000 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of over $180 million dollars.
Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast boarding team members intercept a suspected drug-smuggling vessel with approximately 1,347 pounds of cocaine onboard in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Nov. 22, 2017. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast patrolled international waters off the coast of Mexico and Central America, disrupting Transnational Organized Crime networks through joint interagency counterdrug operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work and dedication of my crew, and the men and women of the interagency aircrews and support networks ashore,” said Commander Alain Balmaceda, Steadfast’s Commanding Officer. “Their teamwork was vital to successfully combating transnational organized crime in drug trafficking zones over the past several months. Knowing we stopped tons of drugs from reaching America’s shores and the streets of our allied nations in Central and South America made this deployment over the holidays even more rewarding.”
Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast boarding team members intercept a suspected Low Profile Vessel with approximately 3,203 pounds of cocaine onboard in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Nov. 30, 2017. LPVs are designed to be low profile and colored to blend in with the ocean, making them difficult for law enforcement to detect. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
During their mission, Steadfast crew members also conducted a search and rescue missing during their patrol. Three fishermen were stranded 300 miles off the coast of Mexico due to an engine failure. After initial detection by aircraft, the Steadfast Crew navigated to the position of the vessel in distress. Once on scene, Steadfast assisted the distressed fisherman, taking them aboard and providing food and shelter until the fisherman could be returned to their Country of Origin. The three men stated they were adrift for 15 days before they were found.
Steadfast crew members also conducted interagency training off the coast of Southern California with members of a Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team and U.S. Navy Aircrews. MSST members conducted vertical insertion exercises from Navy Helicopters onto the Steadfast during the interagency training. The focus of the training was the tactical insertion of Coast Guard Law Enforcement Teams onto vessels by fast roping from a Navy Helicopter to the Steadfast.
“During this deployment, Steadfast and her crew sailed over 11,000 miles, and their success ensured the maritime safety and security in the Eastern Pacific Region,” added Balmaceda.
Steadfast is a 49-year old Reliance Class 210-foot Medium Endurance Cutter home ported in Astoria since 1994. Nicknamed El Tiburon Blanco or “The White Shark,” Steadfast’ s primary missions include Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, environment protection and fisheries enforcement.
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