After 55 days on narcotics enforcement patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Steadfast returned to Astoria, Ore. on Oct. 3. The 210-foot medium endurance cutter traveled over 11,000 miles between Oregon and Central America for training, law enforcement, search-and-rescue and helicopter operations in international waters, the agency said. The crew was deployed with Maintenance Augmentation Team Seattle, Electronic Support Detachment Petaluma and another cutter, the Argus, which is expected to be commissioned soon, according to the Coast Guard. During its tour, the Steadfast pursued a high-speed, panga-style vessel suspected of smuggling contraband before handing off the case to a partner…

After 68 days patrolling the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alert (WMEC 630) returned to its Astoria, Ore., homeport on Oct. 8. During that time, crew members of the 210-foot medium endurance cutter traveled more than 13,700 nautical miles from Oregon to Columbia, providing law enforcement support for various initiatives, including counter-drug missions, search-and-rescue operations and international law enforcement training engagements, according to the Coast Guard. Crew members also approached three Costa Rican fishing vessels and seized 1,440 pounds of marijuana worth $1.4 million.  “Furthermore, during the boarding of the fishing vessel Mujer Gitana, Alert’s crew detected…