USS PRINCETON CG-59 INTERACTION W/2 x PANGA'S AND CONTRABAND RECOVERY OPERATION

This document consists of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) response from the Department of the Navy regarding a request for records concerning unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and unidentified submersible objects (USOs). The Navy provided records related to a specific incident involving the USS Princeton (CG-59) on June 16, 2012. The incident involved the interception of two panga-style small craft in the Southern California operating area. According to the provided OPREP-3 report, the USS Princeton, while conducting pre-RIMPAC interoperability training, was alerted to two 25-foot white vessels with single outboard motors. The vessels were observed by aircrew from the USS Nimitz (INDIAN 613) throwing numerous black bales into the water. Upon being approached, the vessels increased speed to over 30 knots and fled. The USS Princeton abandoned the pursuit and recovered 186 bales of marijuana, totaling approximately 15,000 pounds. The document includes the formal FOIA denial letter, which cites the withholding of a one-page classified document under 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(1) and (b)(6) due to personal identifiers and classified information, as well as the original incident report and associated chat logs and imagery.