On Friday 13 January 2017 the Commanding Officer of Operation Atalanta warship, ESPS Relampago, Lieutenant Commander Francisco Garcia Flores, welcomed EU Member State Ambassadors aboard during a port visit to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
The visit was an opportunity to update the Ambassadors from Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands on the European Union’s continuing efforts to ensure that Somali-based piracy remains suppressed.
Since she deployed with the EU Naval Force in October last year, ESPS Relampago has been conducting counter-piracy patrols close to the Somali coast. These patrols not only act as a deterrent to would-be pirates; they also serve to reassure local Somali fishermen and the thousands of merchant ships transporting goods to and from Europe, that the EU remains committed to ensuring that the scourge of piracy, which plagued the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean just a few years ago, does not return.
During their visit, the Ambassadors were given a tour of the Spanish warship and introduced to the sailors and marines on board.
Speaking after the visit, Lieutenant Commander Flores said “The Ambassadors were very interested to hear about our counter-piracy patrols and the cooperation with other warships at sea to ensure that seafarers remain safe.