The Unsung Vigilant Sentry Patrol Line
The last couple of weeks saw three different medium endurance cutters return to their East/Gulf Coast homeports after extensive tours in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-South), which included clocking in with Homeland Security Task Force-Southeast (HSTF-SE) and Operation Vigilant Sentry.
While OVS, which targets Caribbean maritime mass migration, was first approved in 2004 and is not country-specific, it has gone into overdrive with the recent lawlessness in Haiti following the collapse of that country’s military and police, resulting in a paltry 400 Kenyan police being dropped in by the UN to fight the gangs.
To show just how busy the USCG is in trying to stem the tide of Haitians trying to make it anywhere but Haiti, take these snippets into consideration.
USCGC Mohawk (WMEC 913) completed a 62-day migrant interdiction operations patrol in the Florida Straits on 11 October, interdicted and rescued 41 migrants from unseaworthy vessels, and ultimately repatriated 53, having taken custody of 12 from smaller cutters.
She worked alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations air and boat crews along with the Puerto Rico-based 158-foot Sentinel class Cutters Charles Sexton (WPC 1108), Raymond Evans (WPC 1110), Isaac Mayo (WPC 1112), and the buoy tender Maple (WLB 297).
A Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) small boat crew rescues 25 migrants from a disabled vessel, on Aug. 20, 2024, while underway in the Florida Straits. Mohawk’s crew conducted a 57-day deployment to carry out maritime safety and security missions in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Ensign Brian Morel)
USCGC Resolute (WMEC-620) worked with the crews of Coast Guard Cutters William Trump and Reliance to interdict an overloaded and unseaworthy vessel with 181 migrants off the coast of Haiti. “Resolute’s crew worked throughout the night to safely transport Haitian migrants to Coast Guard Cutter Reliance, allowing the crew to provide timely shelter and care to dozens of men, women, and children.” This was in addition to bagging 9,690 pounds of cocaine and 5,490 pounds of marijuana on intercepted go-fasts and sailing vessels and transferred from the Dutch OPV Holland which had a team from U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 102 embarked.
Not a bad 38-day haul for this elderly 210-foot cutter.
Resolute’s crew sported some interesting threads for the cruise, highlighting their counter-drug ops.
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Resolute unloaded interdicted narcotics onto Sector St. Petersburg South Moorings, Florida, on Oct. 23, 2024. Armed Coast Guardsmen stood watch over the interdicted drugs to ensure security and accountability of the seized contraband. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Riley Perkofski)
USCGC Bear (WMEC 901) wrapped up a 58-day homeland security and counter-drug patrol in the Windward Passage on 7 October. “While on patrol, Bear crew members successfully deterred over 200 migrants aboard an overloaded vessel from reaching the United States unlawfully by sea, safely ensuring their return to Haiti.
Bear’s crew also intercepted 107 migrants in a joint operation with Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore (WPC 1109). And during two separate events, Bear’s crew repatriated 169 migrants to Haiti.”
A Coast Guard Cutter Bear (WMEC 901) small boat crew interdicts an overloaded vessel unlawfully bound for the United States by sea with over 100 migrants on board, Sept. 15, 2024, while underway north of Haiti. Operation Vigilant Sentry’s mission is to deter unlawful migration while also making sure that dangerously overloaded vessels are stopped to prevent loss of life at sea. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jeremy Wilbanks)