Frigate ‘Santa María’ integrates into Operation ‘Atalanta’.

On Monday September 30, the escort ship ‘Santa María’ departed from Rota Naval Base to relieve her sister ship ‘Numancia’ and join the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) within the framework of the counter-piracy Operation ‘Atalanta’ in the Indian Ocean.

Under command of Cdr. Francisco García Flores, the frigate set sail from Cádiz towards the Indian Ocean, with a Security Operational Team, a Marine Corps’ ‘Mistral’ Battery, as well as an SH60-B helicopter and a ‘Scan Eagle’ UAV system from the Navy Aircraft Flotilla.

Moreover, the ship will deploy an advanced medical-surgical team trained to perform operations on board, in addition to a Special Operations team from the Special Naval Warfare Force (FGNE in its Spanish initials).

This mission, essential in the face of the resurgence of piracy in the waters of the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, has as its main objective to establish a safe maritime environment in the Horn of Africa, vital for maritime traffic and of great importance for national interests. It also provides protection to the vessels of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

Participation in Operation ‘Atalanta’ is part of Spain's firm commitment to the Common Security and Defense Policy of the European Union, providing a comprehensive response to international maritime security and stability.

The frigate ‘Santa María’, which belongs to the 41^st Escort Squadron, is the first of a series of six F-80 frigates, stationed in Rota Naval Base. These units provide continuity to the Spanish Navy's uninterrupted presence in Operation ‘Atalanta’ since its creation in 2008, in the waters of the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean.