Boynton Beach, FL, July 28, 2005. It was “Mini-Season” for the Atlantic Spiny Lobster. The offshore waters were teaming with dive boats. Flotilla 54 was conducting an Auxiliary Patrol for the purpose of observing and monitoring the safety measures being maintained by the lobster divers.

Our vessel coxswain, Otto Spiebichler (Flotilla 54), received a VHF radio call from, Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet (District 7) advising us of a reported 23ft. powerless cabin boat that had, allegedly,been adrift for about 3 days with 2 foreign men aboard. In Coast Guard terms the mission was a Search and Rescue with potential migrant interdiction.

We were instructed to search the area and transmit the exact location of the vessel. We were not to approach or throw a line to the drifting boat, but maintain visual contact. The Coast Guard had already dispatched a patrol vessel for the mission.

Auxiliary crewmen, Ron Cuneo (Captain, Division 5) and Bruce Parmett (Flotilla 54 Commander) immediately went into a search mode with GPS, binoculars and visual scanning. Approximately 25 minutes later the target vessel was sighted a few miles from shore. It looked as though both men on board were asleep.

We notified the Coast Guard Patrol that was in route, giving them the exact GPS coordinates and water depth. Shortly thereafter, the Coast Guard arrived, secured and boarded the drifting vessel. We were heartily congratulated by the station watchstander and were advised to continue our regular patrol.

According to the Coast Guard the boat was towed to Station Lake Worth Inlet and impounded. The two men on board the drifting vessel were migrants. They are being held in custody due to outstanding US warrants on one individual.

The Auxiliary patrol continued on its way that day and completed their other assigned missions.