After a long five and a half-month deployment, frigate ‘Numancia’ returns home.

The F-80 frigate ‘Numancia’, under command of Cdr. Santiago Martínez Mata, has just returned to her home port in Rota Naval Base after more than 5 months away from home and having sailed 25,600 nautical miles.

As of August 4 the ‘Numancia’ became flagship of the 41st FHQ rotation in Operation ATALANTA welcoming an international Staff led by a Portuguese admiral. The ‘Numancia’ was relieved by her sister ship ‘Santa María’ on November 13 and then began her transit back home.

The blue-water escort ‘Numancia’ has operated in the area conducting maritime security tasks escorting World Food Program vessels and visiting several ships of Somali, Yemeni and Indian flag to rule out possible illegal activities carried out at sea.

Among the activities carried out during these 166 days away from base, one of the most important ones was that of July 22, when the ship 'Anatolian' was towed to the port of Bossaso (Somalia), after having been 10 days adrift without propulsion, electricity and with shortage of food. On August 17, the ship's medical team carried out a surgical intervention at sea on a crew member of the Italian frigate 'Virginio Fasan', once again demonstrating the efficiency of the medical teams on board, the interoperability between units and the excellent relationship between the forces involved in Operation ATALANTA.

The deployment has also permitted joint training exercises with units from allied countries, such as the Indian, Italian, Japanese, French and South Korean navies. The ‘Numancia’ has participated in other exercises intended to enhance the maritime security capabilities of the Djibouti and Seychelles naval services, organizing training days for elements of the Coast Guard of these countries.

A fire in the starboard hangar of the relieving frigate ‘Santa María’, and a mechanical breakdown which was successfully repaired in Djibouti, have been setbacks which have prolonged the frigate's deployment in the area, a period in which the crew has maintained its commitment and spirit of service as on the first day, achieving all the objectives set at the beginning of the deployment.

In a poignant ceremony presided over by the Fleet Commander, Admiral Eugenio Diaz del Rio, more than four hundred relatives awaited the arrival of the ship with barely-contained emotion. During all deployments, and particularly in this last and prolonged one, the families of the crew are participants in the Operation from Spain, and their support is an essential element in the success of these missions.

BRAVO ZULU!