'EXPLORER II' IN PORT 3 WEEKS; HUMPHREY ADMITS AGENCY PROBE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP69B00369R000200240104-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 7, 2005
• Sequence Number: 104
• Publication Date: March 1, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

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Approved For Release ,1005106/'17 CIA-RDP69B00369R000200240104-3
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By EDNA BUCHANAN
"Explorer II" has not ven-
tured out to sea for three
weeks now, according to her
Miami Beach neighbors.
Local speculation about
the oft-talked-of mystery
ship now revolves about
whether her stay at dockside
stems from close security, of
the central Intelligence
Agency by oth t e s
MM -the administration in
recent weeks.
Vice President Hubert
Humphrey, while giving the
agency a verbal pat on the
back, confirmed in Bal Har-
bour earlier this week that
"the whole CIA operation is
now under complete review
Painted black and gray,
radar equipment jutting
from amidships, "Explorer
II" is nearly invisible at
dusk. The 105-foot craft,
berthed directly . across. a
channel from the Miami
Beach Coast Guard Base on
'MacArthur Causeway, has
been openly referred to as a
CIA operated . vessel for
some time. But that identifi-
cation has never been con-
firmed.
"She doesn't 'aok it," said
one Coast. Guardsman, "But
she's the fastest thing in the
water." Up until three weeks
ago, observers said, the Ex-
plorer slipped out of harbor
two or three times a month,
returning In several days as
preached the vessel armed
with a camera this week
looked through the lens and
There is no 'telephone list-
ing for the firm and what's
more, the address is not in
Miami Shores.
According to the Miami
City Directory that address
is listed to a woman.
The dock owner who rents
space for the Explorer was
evasive yesterday and said,
"We handle her for an agent
in Jacksonville. That's all I
want to say about it."
The camera-wielding crew-
ency Probe
quietly as she departed.
Other Coast Guardsmen
who see the vessel every day
say her engines are running saw a camera aimed
constantly and she has a back from aboard ship.
Spanish-speakin ee of
right
g For months, newsmen and
between 25 and 30 men. other- curious persons have
At 1 a.m. yesterday, a reported that their photos
dark-haired man in a wind- were taken by crewmen
breaker was standing watch when they got too close.
on the Explorer's deck. The A spokesman from the
ship's engines were running, Coast Guard's Marine Inspee-
as they do 24 hours a day. tion Office. said yesterday
The man on deck spoke no that the ship is not listed In
English and very little Span- the official volume of "Mer-
ish, according to his answers chant, Vessels of the United
to questions. He replied he States."
didn't know who owned the The Marine Division of the
ship and just shook his head
when asked the name of his- Coast Guard said the craft's
employer. owner is listed as "Explora-
tion Inc.," at 440 NE 110th
St., Miami Shores.
man claimed association
with Florida Atlantic Univer-
sity in Boca Raton yesterday
when questioned by a report-
er.
In heavily-accented Eng-
lish,'he said that the Explor.
er is "an oceanographic ship,"
gathering samples for t h e
college. Asked what they do,
he explained that they test
water salinity and gather
samples of sea life.
A. magazine writer in town
recently revealed he has
been checking on C.[A ves-
sels based in local waters
i and Miami-area CIA fronts
(he named several local
firms) and said he is on as-
signment from a major publi-
cation to do an article on
Approved For Release 2005/06/13: CIA-RDP69B00369R000 00WWW;&Yy." . ;; ,'t , .
t 3 Weeks;
 ppr oved For4Release2005/06/13 CAA-RDPOB
`Explorer II' Rides `at Dockside - with Engines Running as Always
MIAMI BEACH DAILY E
March 1, 1967
Approved For Release 2005/06/13: CIA-RP.M