Coast Guard responds to Russian military ship about 15 nautical miles south of O‘ahu

Crews of a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft and ship were called at the end of October to check out an unannounced foreign visitor cruising in waters not too far from Honolulu, responding to a Russian military vessel operating near U.S. waters.

The ship was detected while operating Oct. 29 about 15 nautical miles — or a little more than 17 land miles — south of O‘ahu.

A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Barbers Point and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter William Hart were dispatched from O‘ahu to monitor the foreign visitor, which was identified as the Kareliya, a Vishnya-class intelligence ship with Russian Federation Navy Auxiliary General Intelligence.

The HC-130 and William Hart also conducted a safe and professional overflight and transiting near the Russian intelligence vessel.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel — in accordance with international law — are monitoring the Russian ship’s activities near U.S. waters to protect the maritime security for U.S. vessels also operating in the same area and in support of U.S. homeland defense efforts.

“The U.S. Coast Guard routinely monitors maritime activity around the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the Pacific [Ocean] to ensure the safety and security of U.S. waters,” said U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District Chief of Response Capt. Matthew Chong in a release about the response to the Russian military ship. “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.”

U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District works in conjunction with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and interagency partners to constantly monitor activity of foreign military vessels operating near U.S. waters — including those of U.S. territories Guam and American Samoa — to ensure homeland security and defense.

Customary international law allows foreign military vessels to transit and operate outside the territorial seas — which extend up to 12 nautical miles, or almost 14 land miles, from shore — of other nations.