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Coast Guardsman Killed In Confrontation with Smugglers

December 03, 2012 |

Panga-style boats have become the preferred vessel of drug smuggles off the California coast. Photo: Wikimedia.

A veteran U.S. Coast Guard chief petty officer suffered fatal head trauma Sunday after drug smugglers in a panga rammed his vessel off the Ventura County coastline.

Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III, 34, of Redondo Beach, Calif., was second in command of the Halibut, an 87-foot patrol cutter based in Marina del Rey, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Horne and his team approached the vessel in a smaller inflatable boat, when the panga headed toward the Coast Guard boat and rammed it, knocking Horne and another officer into the water. Horne succumbed to head injuries at 2:21 a.m.

Tags: Smuggling, Drug Trafficking, Patrol Boats, U.S. Coast Guard, Duty Deaths

Comments (5)

Displaying 1 - 5 of 5
RICHARD ISAACS @ 12/3/2012 6:05 PM THEY ESCALATE, WE NEED TO ESCALATE. SMUGGLERS NOW AND HAVE ALWAYS CAUSED A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE CITIZENS OF THE U.S. I WISH THE ARTICAL WOULD HAVE SAID WHAT BECAME OF THE SMUGGLERS.
TripWire @ 12/3/2012 6:09 PM I would hope that next time they get the ole' MawDuece up and running. Make them think twice about ramming our boats.
S.S @ 12/4/2012 7:04 AM There's definately more to this story. It was put up on a BOLO in my dept.'s e-mail. Screw this though. 1 warning for the boat to stop. If not then take action. Shoot to kill. They obviously don't give a shit about the consequences of killing our L.E.O.'S. They're breaking the law in the first place anyways. I'm sorry to hear about the Chief Petty Officer Horne III, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. As well as to your family with the Coast Guard. I hope they get what's coming to them.
Rick @ 12/4/2012 8:28 AM I patrolled this area during my time with the USCG at Station Channel Islands. We had a few reports of planes landing on the Channel Islands at night with offloads going to waiting boats, but it was few and far between. Things are really heating up in the drug war and the USCG is right in the middle. It seems that procedures need to be reviewed and possibly some better equipment purchased. Also, the Commandant shouldn't have stopped the USCG SEAL program with the Navy. That would have allowed the USCG a true anti-terrorist capability.
Rob A. @ 12/4/2012 1:41 PM Alot of these stories are severely lacking. Were any arrests made? What happened afterwards?

Displaying 1 - 5 of 5

RICHARD ISAACS @ 12/3/2012 6:05 PM

THEY ESCALATE, WE NEED TO ESCALATE. SMUGGLERS NOW AND HAVE ALWAYS CAUSED A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE CITIZENS OF THE U.S. I WISH THE ARTICAL WOULD HAVE SAID WHAT BECAME OF THE SMUGGLERS.

TripWire @ 12/3/2012 6:09 PM

I would hope that next time they get the ole' MawDuece up and running. Make them think twice about ramming our boats.

S.S @ 12/4/2012 7:04 AM

There's definately more to this story. It was put up on a BOLO in my dept.'s e-mail. Screw this though. 1 warning for the boat to stop. If not then take action. Shoot to kill. They obviously don't give a shit about the consequences of killing our L.E.O.'S. They're breaking the law in the first place anyways. I'm sorry to hear about the Chief Petty Officer Horne III, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. As well as to your family with the Coast Guard.
I hope they get what's coming to them.

Rick @ 12/4/2012 8:28 AM

I patrolled this area during my time with the USCG at Station Channel Islands. We had a few reports of planes landing on the Channel Islands at night with offloads going to waiting boats, but it was few and far between. Things are really heating up in the drug war and the USCG is right in the middle. It seems that procedures need to be reviewed and possibly some better equipment purchased. Also, the Commandant shouldn't have stopped the USCG SEAL program with the Navy. That would have allowed the USCG a true anti-terrorist capability.

Rob A. @ 12/4/2012 1:41 PM

Alot of these stories are severely lacking. Were any arrests made? What happened afterwards?

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