PRAIA, Cabo Verde –
United States Coast Guard Famous-class medium endurance cutter USCGC Thetis (WMEC 910) completed their deployment to the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations with a port visit and a series of engagements with U.S. Embassy Praia and Cabo Verdean Coast Guard officials January 13-15, 2022.
During the visit, the United States Ambassador, Jeff Daigle and members from local media toured Thetis and met with the commanding officer and crew.
“The visit by USCGC Thetis to Cabo Verde is yet another example of the growing cooperation between the United States and Cabo Verde in the security sector, a mutual goal highlighted during our 2021 Bilateral Partnership Dialogue," said Ambassador Daigle. "With approximately 99 percent of Cabo Verde’s territory encompassing the sea, maritime security is of utmost importance to Cabo Verde’s development and prosperity, and the Thetis visit further strengthened our joint efforts to ensure the mid-Atlantic region remains open and safe for legitimate economic and other activity.”
Thetis’ visit to Cabo Verde demonstrates the U.S. Coast Guard’s commitment and our longstanding partnership to counter illicit maritime activity in Atlantic Africa while deployed to U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations.
During the at-sea portion of the patrol to Praia, Thetis hosted a member from the Cabo Verde Coast Guard. While underway, he provided valuable local area expertise, including an understanding of fisheries’ pattern of life, fishing trends, operating alongside members of the USCG in this part of the Atlantic Ocean.
"This visit provided us the opportunity to showcase the ability of Thetis by hosting local government officials to tour and meet with the crew," said Cmdr. Justin Nadolny, commanding officer, USCGC Thetis (WMEC 910). "It was an honor to host a member of the Cabo Verde Coast Guard during our patrol, the experience greatly enhanced our deployment and we look forward to more opportunities to integrate with our allies and partners in the region.”
Recently, Thetis and Sentinel-class USCGC Glen Harris (WPC 1144), and USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145) collaborated with Spain and Morocco to rescue 103 migrants 40 nautical miles west of the Moroccan coast.
The U.S. Coast Guard is conducted a routine deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, working alongside Allies, building maritime domain awareness, and sharing best practices with partner nation navies and coast guards. These operations coincide with the escort of the Sentinel-class cutters across the Atlantic en route to their new homeport of Manama, Bahrain, and the cutters' work for U.S. Patrol Forces Southwest Asia under U.S. Fifth Fleet and U.S. Central Command.
The U.S. Coast Guard remains operational during COVID-19, following all COVID-19 safety precautions and regulations.
U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. Based in Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. In addition to surge operations, they also allocate ships to work with partner commands.