Latest news with #Waesche
CBS News
18-02-2025
- CBS News
Search suspended for seaman from Rancho Cordova missing in Eastern Pacific Ocean
U.S. Coast Guard officials say the search for a missing crew member from the cutter Waesche has been suspended. Seaman Bryan K. Lee – a 23-year-old from Rancho Cordova – was discovered unaccounted for back on the morning of Feb. 4, officials say. The Waesche was operating in the Eastern Pacific Ocean about 300 nautical miles south of Mexico at the time, doing routine counter-drug patrols. A comprehensive search effort began immediately once the crewman was discovered missing, officials say. Search crews spent nearly 190 hours looking for Lee, the Coast Guard says, covering an area of about 19,000 square nautical miles. The search effort was called off the following Saturday. "Our most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Seaman Lee," said Cmdr. David Stern, search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard District Eleven, in a statement. "Considering all pertinent factors and available information, we made the difficult decision to suspend the search." A number of aircraft from the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Air Force joined the search effort. A vessel and aircraft from the Mexican Navy also helped with the search.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
$275 Million of Cocaine Seized in Pacific Ocean (Video)
Richard Pryor just rolled over in his grave. The United States Coast Guard offloaded over 37,000 pounds, amounting to an estimated $275 million, of cocaine from the Pacific Ocean in San Diego on Thursday. The crew had been stationed in the eastern Pacific since December, intercepting 'significant narcotics trafficking' operations. Check out the haul being offloaded below. 'The Waesche crew faced numerous challenges during this patrol, overcoming the hardest adversities and still had 11 successful drug interdictions,' said Capt. Tyson Scofield, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, in a press release. 'Their dedication, strength of character, and resilience ensured the success of our mission, preventing over $275 million worth of illicit narcotics from reaching the United States and protecting our communities from the devastating effects of transnational crime.'But the successful drug roundup didn't come without its casualties. One crewmember of the Waesche was unaccounted for during the operation. He was identified as 23-year-old Bryan K. Lee. 'Our most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Seaman Lee,' said Cmdr. David Stern, search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard District Eleven, in a press release. 'Considering all pertinent factors and available information, we made the difficult decision to suspend the search. This case has been extraordinarily challenging, and the decision to suspend the search pending new information is not an easy choice. We're thankful for the support from our units and partners who searched a significant region of the Pacific Ocean.' Still, that's a whole lotta devil's dandruff.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
Days after losing a crew member at sea near Mexico, Coast Guard Cutter returns with $275-million narcotics haul
After months at sea, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche returned to San Diego on Thursday, with over 37,000 pounds of confiscated cocaine and one less crew member, lost at sea, officials said. The offloading of their massive narcotics haul — which weighs about as much as a full grown humpback whale and is estimated to be worth $275 million — comes days after search efforts were ended for 23-year-old Seaman Bryan Lee, according to the Coast Guard. Lee, who hails from Rancho Cordova, was discovered missing at 6:45 a.m. last Tuesday while the Waesche was conducting a routine counter-drug patrol around 300 nautical miles south of Mexico. Search crews dedicated over 190 hours to scouring 19,000 nautical miles for Lee using drones, aircraft and vessels, before suspending the search on Monday. The confiscated cocaine was netted through 11 drug interdiction missions off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America from December through mid February. At a news conference Thursday celebrating the seizure, a moment of silence was held in Lee's memory. "It was truly inspiring to see every member on board come together during this patrol, including our shipmate, Bryan Lee, who contributed to the mission," said Capt. Tyson Scofield, commanding officer of the Waesche. "We are saddened by his loss, but he shares in the success with all of us today. Our hearts are with his family as they grieve his loss and as we grieve it together." Coast Guard spokesperson Christopher Sappey said it is very unusual for a crew guard member to go missing during patrols. However, he noted, they do conduct dangerous work by directly boarding smuggling vessels in challenging ocean conditions and seizing drugs found on board, he said. Crews launch interdiction missions when suspected vessels are spotted during patrols, often approaching these boats using semi-submersible vessels or small vessels and detaining those on board. "The Waesche crew faced numerous challenges during this patrol, overcoming the hardest adversities and still had 11 successful drug interdictions," said Scofield. "Their dedication, strength of character, and resilience ensured the success of our mission." During its peak performance window, the crew completed six drug interdiction missions in six days, Scofield said. The total amount of cocaine seized is enough for 33 million hits of the drug, he added. "That means 33 million hits of cocaine that won't be on the streets of America," he said. "This is 33 million instances where there will not be the opportunity to mix in fentanyl and to put that poison on the streets of our country." The narcotics will now be transferred to other U.S. agencies for processing, testing and, ultimately, destruction, said Sappey. The seizure comes as the Coast Guard is ramping up efforts to disrupt the transnational shipment of illicit drugs by cartels operating in Central and South American seas, said Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson. So far this year, the Coast Guard and partner agencies are responsible for disrupting the delivery of 150 metric tons of cocaine and turning over 136 detainees to U.S. law enforcement agencies for criminal prosecution, said Rear Admiral Jo-Ann Burdian. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
14-02-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Days after losing a crew member at sea near Mexico, Coast Guard Cutter returns with $275-million narcotics haul
After months at sea, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche returned to San Diego on Thursday, with over 37,000 pounds of confiscated cocaine and one less crew member, lost at sea, officials said. The offloading of their massive narcotics haul — which weighs about as much as a full grown humpback whale and is estimated to be worth $275 million — comes days after search efforts were ended for 23-year-old Seaman Bryan Lee, according to the Coast Guard. Lee, who hails from Rancho Cordova, was discovered missing at 6:45 a.m. last Tuesday while the Waesche was conducting a routine counter-drug patrol around 300 nautical miles south of Mexico. Search crews dedicated over 190 hours to scouring 19,000 nautical miles for Lee using drones, aircraft and vessels, before suspending the search on Monday. The confiscated cocaine was netted through 11 drug interdiction missions off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America from December through mid February. At a news conference Thursday celebrating the seizure, a moment of silence was held in Lee's memory. 'It was truly inspiring to see every member on board come together during this patrol, including our shipmate, Bryan Lee, who contributed to the mission,' said Capt. Tyson Scofield, commanding officer of the Waesche. 'We are saddened by his loss, but he shares in the success with all of us today. Our hearts are with his family as they grieve his loss and as we grieve it together.' Coast Guard spokesperson Christopher Sappey said it is very unusual for a crew guard member to go missing during patrols. However, he noted, they do conduct dangerous work by directly boarding smuggling vessels in challenging ocean conditions and seizing drugs found on board, he said. Crews launch interdiction missions when suspected vessels are spotted during patrols, often approaching these boats using semi-submersible vessels or small vessels and detaining those on board. 'The Waesche crew faced numerous challenges during this patrol, overcoming the hardest adversities and still had 11 successful drug interdictions,' said Scofield. 'Their dedication, strength of character, and resilience ensured the success of our mission.' During its peak performance window, the crew completed six drug interdiction missions in six days, Scofield said. The total amount of cocaine seized is enough for 33 million hits of the drug, he added. 'That means 33 million hits of cocaine that won't be on the streets of America,' he said. 'This is 33 million instances where there will not be the opportunity to mix in fentanyl and to put that poison on the streets of our country.' The narcotics will now be transferred to other U.S. agencies for processing, testing and, ultimately, destruction, said Sappey. The seizure comes as the Coast Guard is ramping up efforts to disrupt the transnational shipment of illicit drugs by cartels operating in Central and South American seas, said Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson. So far this year, the Coast Guard and partner agencies are responsible for disrupting the delivery of 150 metric tons of cocaine and turning over 136 detainees to U.S. law enforcement agencies for criminal prosecution, said Rear Admiral Jo-Ann Burdian.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
U.S. Coast Guard ship offloads $275 million of cocaine
A U.S. Coast Guard ship that lost a crew member while operating in the Eastern Pacific Ocean offloaded over 37,000 pounds of cocaine on Thursday, officials said. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche had been stationed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from December through February to intercept suspected drug smuggling vessels off the coasts of Mexico, Central America and South America. "Significant narcotics trafficking" occurs in the area, the Coast Guard said. The ship made 11 such interceptions during the two months it was stationed, resulting in the massive drug haul. The Coast Guard said in a news release that the cocaine had an estimated value of more than $275 million. "The Waesche crew faced numerous challenges during this patrol, overcoming the hardest adversities and still had 11 successful drug interdictions," said Capt. Tyson Scofield, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, in a news release announcing the haul. "Their dedication, strength of character, and resilience ensured the success of our mission, preventing over $275 million worth of illicit narcotics from reaching the United States and protecting our communities from the devastating effects of transnational crime." While operating, a crew member identified by the Coast Guard as Seaman Bryan K. Lee was reported as unaccounted for on Tuesday, Feb. 4, the week before the ship arrived in San Diego. The Waesche crew and other responding assets, including multiple Air Force aircraft, two Mexican navy vessels and an unmanned drone, searched more than 19,000 square nautical miles for a combined nearly 190 hours before the the search was suspended on Saturday, Feb. 8. The cutter had been conducting a "routine counter-drug patrol" about 300 nautical miles south of Mexico when Lee was reported missing, the Coast Guard said in a news release. It deviated from the patrol to search for Lee. The counter-drug patrols are part of a multiagency effort to combat organized crime and drug trafficking, the Coast Guard said. Stopping the movement of drugs through the Eastern Pacific Ocean "requires unity of effort in all phases, from detection, monitoring and interdictions to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys' Offices in districts across the nation," the Coast Guard said. New accusations against Kash Patel as he advances in FBI director confirmation process Kash Patel survives Senate committee vote How excessive screen time might be damaging relationships
