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| US Border Patrol Adds Patrol Craft |
| 2005-08-05 |
| SAN DIEGO – The Border Patrol's fleet just got a little more fleet. The Border Patrol's Marine Interdiction Unit is the proud owner of two new patrol craft. The 25- and 30-foot-long vessels are larger, faster and have better radar than the original three 24-foot rigid hulled inflatable patrol boats, which are going to be phased out. Senior Patol Agent Allen Gustafson said the boats are capable of going nearly 50 knots and have already made an impact. "They're pretty quick," Gustafson said. "They allow us to be out there constantly." In less than two months since getting the new boats, the unit has seized seven boats involved in migrant smuggling, rescued two disabled boaters and even helped bail out the "Stars and Stripes." Eighteen passengers were taken off the America's Cup yacht on July 13, after the yacht's crew put out a distress call saying they were taking on water. The yacht, now used as a charter vessel, was then towed to the Hornblower dock at Broadway Pier. The Border Patrol plans to acquire a second 30-foot-long patrol craft later this year. |
| Posted by:Pappy |