During the last counter piracy patrol of the ESPS “Galicia”, the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Gómez de Cordoba, who is embarked on the Spanish flagship has paid a visit to the ITS “Libeccio” and to the Lithuanian Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment on board the World Food Program Vessel “Douro”.

Rear Admiral Gómez met with MV “Douro’s” master and the EU Naval Force Lithuanian maritime protection team that is embarked on board.  He thanked the Lithuanian team for its important role in protecting MV “Douro” from potential pirate attacks as it transits along the Somali coast.

The day before, seizing that the Spanish Warship was performing diving operations anchored a few miles off the coast of Somalia, the Force Commander made the most of the encounter at sea between the two warships, ESPS “Galicia” and ITS “Libeccio” to visit the Italian Warship.

After being welcomed on board by ITS Libeccio’s commanding officer, Commander Daniele Paolo Maria Martinuzzi, Rear Admiral Gómez received a briefing on the capabilities of the Italian Navy warship and its achievements with Operation Atalanta over the past four months in deterring piracy off the coast of Somalia

Since Operation Atalanta warships and maritime protection teams began protecting WFP vessels in 2009, nearly a million tonnes of aid destined for the Somali people has arrived safely into Somali ports.

ESPS “Galicia” will continue with their transit to Djibouti where, after five months in the Operation Atalanta, she will end her participation the next 6th October and will start her transit to her home port in Rota, Spain.

Meanwhile, the Italian Warship ITS “Libeccio” will continue in the Operation for some more weeks before leaving the Area of Operations and heading back to Italy.