CG WINSLOW GRIESSER

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Coast Guard interdicted migrant boat with 31 people on board

The 'Heriberto Hernandez' repatriated 38 migrants to the Dominican Republic on April 24, 2024, following two interdictions of unlawful, irregular migration attempts near Puerto Rico. The repatriated migrants were transferred to Dominican Republic authorities during a rendezvous with a Dominican Republic Navy vessel just off the Dominican Republic. Two other interdicted migrants remained in U.S. custody facing criminal immigration charges in the U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico. During the interdiction on April 21, a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew sighted a 20-foot grossly overloaded makeshift vessel, approximately 45 nautical miles northeast of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan diverted the 'Heriberto Hernandez' to intercept the suspect vessel. Following the interdiction, the crew embarked 13 migrants, who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals. During an interdiction on April 22, the aircrew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft sighted a 30-foot grossly overloaded makeshift vessel, approximately 31 nautical miles west of Ricon, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan diverted the 'Winslow Griesser' to intercept the suspect vessel. Following the interdiction, the crew embarked 31 migrants, of which 27 claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals and four claimed to be Haitians. https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3755880/coast-guard-repatriates-38-migrants-to-dominican-republic-following-2-interdict/

Three wanted US citizens apprehended aboard troubled migrant boat

The 'Winslow Griesser' interdicted an unlawful migration voyage in the Mona Passage on April 19, 2024. Coast Guard watchtanders at Sector San Juan received notification on the morning from the aircrew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations multi-role enforcement aircraft, reporting the sighting of a suspected migrant vessel, approximately 55 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Rico. Watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter to interdict the suspect vessel. Once on scene, the crew deployed their over-the-horizon small boat and stopped the 20-foot go-fast vessel that was carrying eight people and multiple cockfighting roosters. The migrants claimed to have departed from Dominican Republic on a voyage to Puerto Rico, however, they experienced engine malfunctions which forced them to return to Dominican Republic before being interdicted. Working in coordination with the Dominican Republic Navy, cutter Winslow Griesser’s crew took the migrant vessel in tow and rendezvoused with a Dominican Republic Navy vessel, who embarked and received custody of the migrants. Further investigation efforts by Dominican Republic Navy and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed three of the alleged migrants were U.S. citizens with active U.S. warrants. Following the interdiction, Dominican Republic Navy authorities detained three U.S. citizens, who were affiliated with a criminal gang and wanted in connection with a July 2020 shooting at a residential community in Puerto Rico in which four people were killed. The suspects were taken under the custody of the Dominican Republic 'Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas (DNCD) (United States Marshals Service Dominican Republic Foreign Field Office Fugitive Investigative Unit). United States Marshals Service Puerto Rico Fugitive Task Force for the District of Puerto Rico are coordinating the deportation of the three suspects. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3751974/coast-guard-interdiction-leads-to-the-apprehension-of-3-wanted-us-citizens/

NTSB: Collision between Winslow Griesser and boat was due to failure to maintain a proper lookout

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that the collision between the 'Winslow Griesser' and the center-console boat Desakata, with two people on board, off the coast of Puerto Rico on Aug 8, 2022, was due to the failure of either vessel to maintain a proper lookout. The accident resulted in one death and a serious injury aboard the boat and its total loss valued at $58,800. Leading up to the collision, neither crew saw the other despite having the opportunity to do so. The investigation found that none of the 'Winslow Griesser'’s 21 crew members was designated solely as a lookout. The NTSB noted that Coast Guard practice was that all members of the bridge watch are responsible for shared lookout duties, however investigators determined no one was maintaining a lookout at the time of the collision. Investigators also found that no one the 'Desakata' was maintaining a proper lookout at the time of the collision, as they were too focussed on fishing. The bridge crew on the 'Winslow Griesser' was not aware of hitting anything until they saw the wreckage of the center-console boat floating down the side of the cutter. The NTSB has recommended that the Coast Guard install voyage data recorders on its cutter fleet to provide additional information on collisions. The NTSB also issued a safety alert encouraging owners of recreational boats and small commercial fishing vessels to improve their vessels’ detectability by installing radar reflectors and using simplified automatic identification system transponders. Contributing factors included the failure of the 'Winslow Griesser'’s commanding officer and officer of the deck to take sufficient measures to increase situational awareness while the cutter was traveling at a high speed. During the investigation, several crew members of the 'Winslow Griesser' declined to speak with NTSB investigators. If the cutter had been equipped with a voyage data recorder, or VDR, the additional data and audio could help identify safety issues, resulting in safety improvements. The Coast Guard’s investigation into the accident, which concluded in July, came to a similar conclusion; that neither the 'Winslow Griesser' nor the 'Desakata' saw one another and, as a result, failed to take appropriate action that could have avoided or reduced the severity of the collision. However, the investigation board failed to factually conclude that the 'Winslow Griesser' failed to maintain a proper lookout, despite evidence that suggested this was the case. The investigation board also determined both vessels failed to maintain a safe speed. Full report with photos: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2314.pdf