The Spanish warship Infanta Cristina departed from her base port on the 18th February and joined the operation Atalanta on the 6th March 2015. She has now, after almost 4 months, completed her mission.
She has conducted counter-piracy operations, monitored fishing activities off the coast of Somalia and protected vessels of the World Food Program (WFP), African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and other vulnerable shipping through the Indian Ocean regions.
Over her period in the Counter-Piracy EU Operation, she has sailed in waters of Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Arabic Sea and Somali Coast, and she has visited five different countries, Djibouti, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Seychelles and Madagascar.
The Spanish ship has provided support at sea to the vulnerable shipping for more than 117. She has navigated more than 20.000 nautical miles, conducted nine fuel replenishments at sea and carried out 72 friendly approaches. In those FA the boarding team showed presence of EUROMARFOR units, gathered information about pattern of life and piracy activities in the area, and providing the Somali seafarers with food and medical assistance increasing mutual understanding.
The Spanish crew also supported the Seychelles Coast Guards and the Malagasy Navy increasing their maritime capabilities with different exercises during the Spanish warship port visits.
The ESPS Infanta Cristina returns back home to Cartagena, Murcia, proud for the hard work done at sea during this period and will arrive home on the 20th of July.
