A new Coast Guard cutter commissioned Friday honors a petty officer who was killed in a confrontation with suspected smugglers.
LOS ANGELES — A new Coast Guard cutter commissioned Friday honors a petty officer who was killed in a confrontation with suspected smugglers off the Ventura County coast.
Horne was killed in December 2012 as crew members from the Marina del Rey-based cutter Halibut were maneuvering an inflatable boat near Santa Cruz Island to intercept a panga, a type of boat favored by smugglers trying to bring contraband and people north from Mexico.
The cutters, part of efforts to modernize the Coast Guard fleet, have advanced systems and can reach speeds of 28 knots. Each ship has a crew of 24, a range of 2,500 miles and is capable of patrols lasting up to five days.