The Spanish frigate ESPS Numancia, which replaced her sister ship ESPS Canarias in the EUNAVFOR operation Sophia, yesterday, January 27, carried out her first rescue operation since joining the operation in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Spanish air force aircraft VIGMA D-4 was conducting an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flight when it spotted two rubber boats in distress in International Waters north of Libyan coast on January 27.

The frigate Numancia, that has joined operation Sophia last week, was called to intervene on one of the rubber boats by the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre saving, in total, 113 lives.

According to EAAS, ESPS Numancia will now transfer all migrants to a Frontex ship operating in the area as part of operation Triton.

ESPS Numancia replaced her sister ship Canarias which, on January 18, ended its mission in the Central Mediterranean where the ship’s crew have been fighting illegal trafficking off the coast of Libya for more than 100 days.

During this time, ESPS Canarias has participated in five rescues and has saved the lives of 945 men, 104 women and 72 children.