U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Brianna Grisell.
BOSTON — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba returned to Boston Thursday following a three-month patrol conducting drug and migrant interdiction operations in the Caribbean Sea.
Throughout the patrol, Escanaba’s crew focused their efforts on law enforcement, completed a three-week training assessment of mission capabilities in Portsmouth, Virginia, and held a change-of-command ceremony.
USCG photo by PA2 David M. Santos (archive).
Escanaba’s crew partnered with Customs and Border Patrol within the Mona Passage for migrant interdiction operations. Crews terminated three illegal migrant ventures and repatriated more than 100 migrants.
The crew’s counter-narcotics efforts resulted in the disruption of more than 5,500 pounds of cocaine illegally trafficked by transnational criminal organizations.
During Escanaba’s change-of-command ceremony, Cmdr. Michael Nalli relieved Capt. Michael Turdo as commanding officer.
“It is an honor and privilege to serve as the commanding officer of such a capable ship,” said Nalli. “The crew is well trained and we are excited to get underway to conduct the missions of the Coast Guard.”
Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba, known as “The Pride of Boston”, is a 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter with a crew complement of 100.
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