Sailors aboard USS Zephyr return to Mayport

Crew has been patrolling waters of Pacific

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – About 30 sailors aboard the USS Zephyr returned home to their families Monday after four months at sea patrolling the waters of the Pacific. 

The Zephyr is 174 feet long and can go up to 40 mph. The crew is made up of four officers and 24 enlisted sailors.

"It’s a great feeling (being home)," sailor Quamar Ashley said. "I missed these guys a lot; so happy to be home holding them and my beautiful wife, as well."

The ship, based out of Naval Station Mayport, made headlines last month when it intercepted a suspected drug smuggling boat with 1,080 pounds of cocaine on board.

Photos from the Navy show the USS Zephyr during the mission. 

The boat where the crew found the cocaine caught fire while speeding through the Pacific. The USS Zephyr was chasing it down at the time, according to the Navy. 

It took the crew about 90 minutes to put the fire out. The Navy said the people on board jumped in the water, and the Coast Guard recovered the cocaine.

"It was really dangerous getting the vessel under control," sailor Devel Young said. "We put that fire out. We were able to get all the contraband that was there aboard the ship, and the Coast Guard picked it up."

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The USS Zephyr will arrive in MayportMonday, May 14 after a four month patrol in which the ship and its counterpartsconfiscated over 1,000 pounds of cocaine from drug smugglers