The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche returned home to Alameda, California, on Saturday, after spending nearly three months on a high-seas mission against drug traffickers in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Over the course of 89 days, the 418-foot national security cutter carved through 19,750 nautical miles to conduct search and rescue operations and enforce international narcotics laws off the coasts of Central and South America, according to a U.S. Coast Guard press release.
Demonstrating the broad scope of its mission, the Waesche's crew, with only a Jacksonville, Florida-based Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, leapt into a rescue operation 300 nautical miles west of San Diego, responding to a distress call from a mariner aboard a disabled sailing vessel who was found encircled by 8-10 foot seas and without food. Despite being equipped primarily for law enforcement, the crew managed to launch the Over-the-Horizon (OTH) small boat to successfully rescue the imperiled mariner.
The Waesche's deployment wasn't just about chasing down the illegal trade; at San Francisco Fleet Week 2023, the cutter played host, swinging open its doors to the public for tours and proudly sailed in the Parade of Ships, paying tribute to the Secretary of the Navy with practiced formation maneuvers alongside U.S. Navy vessels.
In an act that combined the precise application of maritime law and brute force intervention, the Waesche intercepted five smuggling boats—including one self-propelled submersible packed with narcotics, the crew drawing upon the Scan Eagle drone, and a sharpshooting helicopter. When the dust settled, over 18,000 pounds of cocaine were offloaded in San Diego, on Wednesday. The Waesche's own interdictions accounted, which included one that featured a semi-submersible vehicle.
Stationed at Coast Guard Island, the Waesche is one of the formidable Legend-class cutters equipped to tackle missions that span from the enforcement of high-seas drug laws to daring rescue operations. The cutter boasts a top speed of 28 knots and can journey up to 12,000 nautical miles, with facilities to house two multi-mission helicopters. It comes loaded with cutting-edge command and control communication technology.
