The Honolulu-based Coast Guard Cutter Walnut is headed to the Gulf of Mexico to help with the massive oil spill cleanup from the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded on April 20.

The cutter left Sand Island yesterday on what is expected to be a four-month deployment.

“;The crew of the Walnut is ready and willing to utilize our oil spill equipment and training to assist the residents of the Gulf Coast in this multiagency response,”; said Lt. Andrea Holt, the Walnut's executive officer. “;Even though we will be deploying more than 5,000 miles from our home port in Honolulu, the crew is ready to meet this challenge.”;

In addition to its oil-skimming equipment, the 225-foot buoy tender is equipped with satellite, radio and communications equipment that will allow it to direct recovery vessels working with them.

The spill is believed to be the largest the United States has seen since the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989.