The F-100 frigate “Cristóbal Colón” carries out a friendly visit to an Iranian fishing boat

The boarding squad of the Spanish Navy frigate ‘Cristóbal Colón’ (F-105) visited a ‘dhow’-type fishing boat north of the IRTC (Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor) in the Arabian Sea.

These types of visits known as ‘Maritime Situational Awareness Visits’ (MSAV) are regularly carried out as part of operation ‘Ocean Shield’. They serve to make NATO’s presence more visible, provide information to ships and trawlers in the area on pirate activities, and supply local vessels with water and medicines whenever the vessels’ captains request such assistance and allow boarding squads to visit their vessels.

The ‘dhow’ was sailing back to her Iranian home port with 16 people on board: 13 Iranian and 3 Pakistani fishermen, after 70 days at sea off the coast of Somalia.

The Spanish frigate’s medical team provided the required medical assistance to different fishermen who were sick, and they were also given the necessary medicines.