Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk Returns to Key West After 42-Day Patrol

KEY WEST, Fla. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk, homeported in Key West, returned Sunday following a 42-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea, the 7th Coast Guard District said in a Dec. 24 release.

The cutter crew worked with multiple Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft while countering transnational criminal organizations attempting to smuggle drugs, humans and other dangerous cargoes to the United States.

Over the course of the patrol, Mohawk’s crew, complimented by a deployable specialized forces team from U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team South, successfully interdicted and seized nearly $17 million of cocaine.

Part of the cutter’s duties included a four-day engagement with the Guatemalan Naval Forces to exchange tactics and best practices, strengthening the collaborative efforts of regional security partners. Furthermore, crew members spent over 20 hours restoring a local K-12 community school to make it more habitable for the students. These efforts resulted in a new roof for one of the buildings, the rejuvenation of athletic and bathroom facilities, and the repainting of one of the classrooms.

“Additionally, Mohawk’s crew conducted daily damage control, navigation, and combat drills to ensure the cutter remains ready to save lives, defend our nation and enforce federal laws,” said Ensign Kira Dabrowski, public affairs officer aboard the cutter. “Upon our return to homeport, the crew will continue to work diligently to prepare to return to sea and continue to serve the American people.”

The Mohawk is a 270-foot Famous-class cutter named after the Algonquin tribe of the Iroquoian Indians who lived in the Mohawk Valley of New York.