By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–Crewmembers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne (WPC 1131), with assistance from the USS Spruance (DDG 111) and Department of Homeland Security partners, intercepted a suspected maritime smuggling vessel approximately 27 miles west of San Diego on Saturday.
The incident began late Friday night around 11 p.m. when a Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations aircraft detected a 40-foot cuddy cabin-style vessel traveling northwest roughly 37 miles south of Point Loma.
The aircraft coordinated with a Navy SH-60 Seahawk helicopter launched from the Spruance, which maintained visual surveillance of the vessel throughout the night. By approximately 7 a.m. Saturday, the vessel had crossed the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary.
At around 10:35 a.m., as the vessel entered the U.S. contiguous zone, boarding teams from both the Terrell Horne and Spruance were deployed. The vessel cooperated with authorities during the stop.
All eight individuals aboard—seven adult males and one adult female—claimed to be Mexican nationals. They were transferred to the Department of Homeland Security partner agents in Oceanside for further processing.
