Charles David Jr News

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. (WPC-1107) crew medevaced a 31-year-old Filipino man from the 820-foot motor tanker, Philotimos, approximately 155 miles southwest of Key West, Fla., Thursday.Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received a medevac request from the Philotimos crew stating a 31-year-old crewmember was suffering from a possible appendicitis.The Coast Guard crew arrived to the scene, embarked the Philotimos crew member, transferred him to a Coast…

The Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. repatriated 38 Cuban migrants Thursday to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba. These repatriations are a result of three separate at-sea migrant interdictions in the South Florida Straits. In each instance, the Coast Guard helped secure the U.S. border and prevented these sea voyages from ending in tragedy. “We discourage anyone from taking to the sea and attempting to reach U.S. soil illegally – they are risking their lives with very little chance of success,” said Capt. Mark Gordon, chief of enforcement for the Coast Guard 7th District. “Navigating the Florida Straits can be extremely dangerous for the unprepared on illegal voyages and often leads to injury or death. Coast Guard missions and operations in the Southeast remain unchanged.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Knight Island repatriated 45 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, Wednesday. These repatriations are a result of two separate interdictions of people attempting to illegally migrate to the United States through the Florida Straits. On Saturday, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless interdicted 25 migrants aboard an aluminum rustic vessel southwest of Key West, Florida. Later in the day, the Dauntless interdicted another 20 migrants south of Dry Tortugas, Florida.

Coast Guard crews aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. and the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant repatriated 86 migrants illegally migrating from Cuba and Haiti. These repatriations are a result of five separate interdictions of people attempting to illegally migrate to the United States through the Florida Straits stemming back to Sunday. On Aug. 21, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter William Flores interdicted 24 Haitian migrants (12 males, nine females, three infants) north of Grand Bahamas Island, Bahamas. Sixteen of the migrants were reported to have jumped into the water but were subsequently rescued by the motor vessel Cap Guillame and the Coast Guard Cutter William Flores. All 24 migrants were safely transferred to the William Flores and were given a medical evaluation.

A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) HC-130 Hercules aircrew is searching for a man who reportedly fell overboard from the Celebrity Constellation cruise ship in the vicinity of the Yucatan Channel in the Caribbean Sea, Wednesday. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Seventh District command center received a report shortly after 10:30 a.m. from Celebrity Constellation that Bagiada, one of the ship's crewmembers, fell overboard at 2:27 a.m. during a cruise in the Caribbean Sea. Missing is Inyoman Bagiada, 45, from Indonesia. The aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., is searching along with the Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr., a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in Key West, Fla. uscgnews.com

Building patrol boats is big business, especially for foreign defense needs. U.S. yards compete on a global stage in the all-important maritime security workboat arena. Patrol boats have continued to enhance bottom lines at many U.S. vessel builders this year through sales that are usually government directed or assisted. Budget cuts are a concern, but the sector’s federal funding remains high. Patrol boats are sold to other nations under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales or FMS program, authorized by the Arms Export Control Act to provide defense items.

Lockport, La.-based Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. is humming with work from oil and gas companies and government agencies. Family-owned and operated, Bollinger has 10 shipyards -- nine in south Louisiana and one in Texas -- along with 28 drydocks and 3,000 employees in four administrative locations. Last month, we caught up with Ben Bordelon, Bollinger’s Executive Vice President of Repair, for his outlook on the firm and the Gulf of Mexico. Bordelon is the nephew of Boysie Bollinger, who has been at the helm as CEO since 1985.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. has delivered the Charles David Jr., the seventh Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the United States Coast Guard. The announcement was made by Bollinger executive vice president of new construction, Chris Bollinger, “We are very pleased to announce another successful on-time and on-budget FRC delivery to the Coast Guard. The Charles David Jr. was delivered to the 7th Coast Guard District in Key West, Fla. and will be stationed at USCG Sector Key West. The 154-foot patrol craft Charles David Jr. is the seventh vessel in the Coast Guard's Sentinel-class FRC program.