Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba returns to Boston after Caribbean Sea patrol

Crews from Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba guide an MH-60 Jayhawk from the flight deck while at sea. Helicopters give Coast Guard crews a strong advantage when conducting migrant and drug interdiction operations © Lt. j.g. Brianna Grisell / U.S. Coast Guard

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba returned to Boston Thursday following a three-month patrol conducting drug and migrant interdiction operations in the Caribbean Sea.

Throughout the patrol, Escanaba's crew focused their efforts on law enforcement, completed a three-week training assessment of mission capabilities in Portsmouth, Virginia, and held a change-of-command ceremony.

Escanaba's crew partnered with Customs and Border Patrol within the Mona Passage for migrant interdiction operations. Crews terminated three illegal migrant ventures and repatriated more than 100 migrants.

The crew's counter-narcotics efforts resulted in the disruption of more than 5,500 pounds of cocaine illegally trafficked by transnational criminal organizations.

Atlantic Area Comm. VADM Buschmann presides over Change-of-Command ceremony as Cmdr. Michael Nalli relieves Capt. Michael Turdo as Comm. Officer of Escanaba. Under new command, crew patrolled Caribbean Sea to conduct drug & migrant interdiction operations - photo © Lt. j.g. Brianna Grisell / U.S. Coast Guard

During Escanaba's change-of-command ceremony, Cmdr. Michael Nalli relieved Capt. Michael Turdo as commanding officer.

"It is an honor and privilege to serve as the commanding officer of such a capable ship," said Nalli. "The crew is well trained and we are excited to get under way to conduct the missions of the Coast Guard."

Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba, known as "The Pride of Boston", is a 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter with a crew complement of 100.