US Coast Guard interdicts suspected smuggling vessel off San Diego coast

Crewmembers aboard the US Coast Guard cutter Terrell Horne, with support from the US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) partners, interdicted a suspected maritime smuggling vessel carrying eight Mexican nationals approximately 27 miles (43 kilometres) west of San Diego, California, on Saturday, April 5.

At approximately 23:00 local time on Friday, April 4, a US Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircraft detected an estimated 40-foot (12-metre) cuddy cabin-style vessel traveling northwest about 37 miles (60 kilometres) south of Point Loma.

The AMO aircraft coordinated a handoff with a US Navy SH-60 Seahawk helicopter launched from Spruance, which maintained visual contact with the vessel overnight.

At approximately 07:00 on Saturday, the vessel crossed the US-Mexico maritime boundary line.

Around 10:35, the vessel entered the US contiguous zone, prompting boat crews from Terrell Horne and Spruance to deploy boarding teams.

The vessel was compliant. All eight aliens, seven adult males and one adult female, all claimed Mexican nationality.

Terrell Horne's crew later transferred the aliens to DHS partner agents in Oceanside, California.