U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alert Completes First Patrol After Relocating to Port Canaveral
By Space Coast Daily // December 10, 2024
crew maneuvered throughout the South Florida Straits to evade Hurricane Milton
BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alert (WMEC 630) crew returned home to Port Canaveral on Thursday, following a 60-day patrol in the Florida Straits.
Alert is a 210-foot, Reliance-class medium endurance cutter homeported at Port Canaveral.
The cutter’s primary missions are counter-narcotic and migrant interdiction operations, protection of living marine resources, and search and rescue support for U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
This marked the cutter’s first patrol since it shifted home ports from Astoria, Oregon, to Brevard County in June of this year.
The crew deployed to support Homeland Security Task Force—Southeast (HSTF-SE) and Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS) while operating in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility.
Throughout the patrol, the Alert crew conducted maritime safety and security missions to protect life at sea and enforce U.S. maritime law.
While on patrol, the crew rescued four Cuban migrants in the South Florida Straits after they were discovered adrift after several days in the water. After embarking the migrants, Alert’s crew provided care, including treating signs and symptoms of severe sunburn and attending to dehydration.
Amidst an active hurricane season, the crew maneuvered throughout the South Florida Straits to evade Hurricane Milton. Alert avoided storm damage to ensure response readiness after the hurricane.
Working alongside other Coast Guard units, Alert’s crew cared for additional migrants transferred to the cutter. Once on board, the cutter, 7 Cuban and 13 Ecuadorian migrants, all received medical and humanitarian care.
During the patrol, Alert’s crew worked with Coast Guard Cutters Margaret Norvell (WPC 1105), William Trump (WPC 1111), Paul Clark (WPC 1106), and William Flores (WPC 1103).
“Coast Guard Cutter Alert is a legacy 210-foot medium endurance cutter that is currently maintaining a vital stopgap ahead of final delivery of the next generation offshore ships,” said Cmdr. Lee K. Crusius, commanding officer of Alert. “America’s Coast Guard is sustaining this current fleet but will be superior at executing missions aboard our future cutters.”
HSTF-SE serves as the Department of Homeland Security lead for operational and tactical planning, command, and control and acts as a standing organization to interdict unlawful maritime migration attempts with federal, state, and local partners. HSTF-SE continues to enhance enforcement efforts in support of OVS, the 2004 DHS plan to respond to mass maritime migration in the Caribbean Sea and the Florida Straits.
The next generation of Coast Guard cutters is the Offshore Patrol Cutter, a 360-foot ship designed for sustained offshore presence and capabilities. Coast Guard Cutter Argus (WMSM 915), the first cutter produced in this class of ships, was launched in October of 2023.
For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit www.GoCoastGuard.com to learn more about active duty and reserve, officer, and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.
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