The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday it detected and monitored a Russian military vessel operating near U.S. territorial waters on Oct. 29.
Officials said the Vishnya-class intelligence ship was approximately 15 nautical miles south of Oahu, prompting a response by the Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules from Air Station Barbers Point and the Coast Guard Cutter William Hart.
The Coast Guard responded to the Russian Federation Navy Auxiliary General Intelligence ship, by conducting a safe and professional overflight and transiting near the vessel, according to a news release.
Acting in accordance with international law, the Coast Guard said personnel are monitoring the vessel’s activities near U.S. territorial waters to provide maritime security for U.S. vessels operating in the area and to support U.S. homeland defense efforts.
“The U.S. Coast Guard routinely monitors maritime activity around the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the Pacific to ensure the safety and security of U.S. waters,” Capt. Matthew Chong, chief of response, Coast Guard Oceania District, wrote in a statement.
“Working in concert with partners and allies, our crews monitor and respond to foreign military vessel activity near our territorial waters to protect our maritime borders and defend our sovereign interests.”
Coast Guard Oceania District works in conjunction with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and interagency partners to constantly monitor the activity of foreign military vessels operating near U.S. territorial waters, including the waters of U.S. territories Guam and American Samoa, to ensure homeland security and defense.
The US Coast Guard said under customary international law, foreign military vessels “are permitted to transit and operate outside other nations’ territorial seas, which extend up to 12 nautical miles from shore.”
