BOSTON — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned to their homeport here today after a 64-day deployment.
The crew of the Seneca completed Tailored Ships Training Availability (TSTA), served as a primary Search and Rescue Response asset along the eastern seaboard, and conducted fisheries enforcement boardings from South Carolina to Maine.
During the patrol, the crew responded to the Motor Vessel Grey Shark, approximately 175 nautical miles off the coast of Cape May, New Jersey which was reported adrift and on fire. The Seneca's crew arrived on scene and escorted the vessel until the Eileen Mcallister took the vessel in tow to New York.
The ship's crew also participated in an international, multi-agency search and rescue exercise in Rhode Island Sound, conducting more than 45 small boat and helicopter hoist evolutions with partners from five Coast Guard units, the New York Air National Guard, and Canadian Forces. With the mix of different agencies, showcasing various areas of expertise, the exercise was successful and demonstrated the ability to work together in a mass casualty scenario.
For the final mission of the patrol, the Seneca hosted Maine Marine Patrol officers for a 24-hour fisheries enforcement operation, targeting lobster fishing boats off the coast of Rockland, Maine.
The 270 ft. Medium Endurance Cutter Seneca has a crew complement of 100: 14 officers and 86 enlisted. The Seneca was commissioned into Coast Guard service on August 4, 1986.