PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The USCGC Vigorous (WMEC 627) returned to its home port of Virginia Beach, Sept. 5, following a 53-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a release.
Throughout the patrol, Vigorous operated in support of the Coast Guard’s 11th District and Joint Interagency Task Force-South, aiding in missions to interdict and disrupt the flow of illegal drugs and migrant trafficking while supporting national security and strengthening relationships with regional partners.
Vigorous seized approximately 1,256 pounds of marijuana worth nearly $2 million that was offloaded in Miami on Aug. 302. In addition, Vigorous’ crew rescued a person in distress more than 100 miles off the coast of Colombia, providing food and mechanical assistance while awaiting a Colombian Navy asset to return the person safely to shore.
Vigorous also conducted a joint training exercise with the Colombian Navy. The training allowed the Coast Guard and Colombian Navy to exercise interagency communication and compare drug interdiction tactics, techniques, and procedures.
After completing almost 50 days of counter-narcotics operations, Vigorous responded to a need for more Coast Guard cutter coverage in the Straits of Florida, south of the Florida Keys. Over the course of 24 hours, Vigorous interdicted 31 Cuban migrants before transferring them to a Florida-based cutter.
“I’m proud of the hard work and professionalism demonstrated by the Vigorous crew,” said Commander Ryan Waters, the cutter’s commanding officer, “that made this challenging patrol successful and memorable.”
Vigorous is a 210-foot Reliance-class medium endurance cutter homeported in Virginia Beach with a crew of 66. Vigorous’ primary mission areas include homeland security, law enforcement, counterdrug, search and rescue, migrant interdiction, and fisheries enforcement in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
