Coast Guard using ship, helicopter to search for missing crew member in Eastern Pacific Ocean

The U.S. Coast Guard is currently engaged in a search and rescue mission for a Coast Guard member who was reported as “unaccounted for” aboard the CGC Waesche while operating in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The CGC Waesche, along with attached helicopter and small unmanned aircraft systems, are actively conducting search patterns in the area, as confirmed by LCDR Jeannie Shaye, the public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area.

Additional Coast Guard and interagency search assets have been deployed to assist in the efforts to locate the missing service member. The specific locations of the search operations cannot be disclosed due to operational security considerations. It is still uncertain when the service member went missing, and their identity has not been publicly released by military officials.

The CGC Waesche is a legend-class national security cutter commissioned in 2010 and is homeported in Alameda, California. These national security cutters are designed to support global operations and missions and can accommodate a crew of up to 170 members. The ship measures 418-feet in length, 54-feet in width, has a top speed of over 28 knots, and a range of 12,000 nautical miles.

The crew of the CGC Waesche has been actively participating in various military and holiday-related activities, as shown in posts on the vessel’s Facebook page. The ship’s crew is currently focused on the search and rescue mission for their missing crew member, working tirelessly to ensure their safe return.

As the search efforts continue, the Coast Guard remains dedicated to locating the missing service member and bringing them back safely. Our thoughts are with the crew of the CGC Waesche during this challenging time, and we hope for a successful resolution to the search and rescue mission.