ESPS CANARIAS

ESPS CANARIAS, the Spanish frigate finished as an EU NAVFOR warship after 126 days proudly flying the European Flag.

She has conducted a variety of tasks in the force and with a continuous dedication has always been ready for any duties, as well as demonstrating a proactive attitude to face all challenges in order to fulfill the objectives of Operation ATALANTA.

During these days at sea she was committed in conducting surface scans, as well as patrolling and safeguarding the Southern part of the Somalia Basin. For the first three and a half months of 2011, the Multinational Force Headquarters, under the command of Rear Admiral Juan Rodriguez was embarked onboard CANARIAS.

EUNAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). EUNAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. EUNAVFOR finally monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

On the 30 December the Spanish Frigate F-86 Canarias, for the second time, joined EUNAVFOR.

Last time she was a part of  EUNAVFOR  was in 2009. Commanded by Commander Rafael Fernandez-Pintado, the ship and its crew are fully prepared and trained to take an active part within EUNAVFOR. CANARIAS is equipped with extensive self defense capability and includes two SH-60B helicopters. The warship has an advanced medical facility and will relief SPS PATIÑO as the platform for EUNAVFOR Force Commander and his staff.

As a flexible warship, CANARIAS is well adapted to counter-piracy missions and will improve the capability of EUNAVFOR to protect vulnerable vessels, especially those of the World Food Programme, to deter and prevent acts of piracy, and to contribute to monitoring fishing activities off the coast of Somalia.

F-82 Canarias holds 202 crew members, including 21 officers. She has been commissioned for service in the Spanish Navy since 1994. The warship has a displacement of 4.100 tons and a length of 138 meters.

EUNAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, and to deter and disrupt piracy. EUNAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

EU NAVFOR warship CANARIAS

This afternoon the hijacked Spanish Fishing Vessel Alakrana was released by pirates after spending 7 weeks in pirate captivity. EU NAVFOR understands from the Spanish Government that earlier today, Alakrana got underway from the Somali coast and made her way to open sea, calling upon Spanish warships Mendez Nunez and Canarias who were patrolling in the area. Alakrana stated in her call that all pirates had disembarked the ship and that she had sufficient fuel. The Captain also reported that the crew of 36 were in good health. The Spanish warships will escort Alakrana to safety.

The Spanish Fishing Vessel Alakrana was hijacked 2 October in the Indian Ocean 360 nautical miles off the Somali east coast.

Sailing vessel LYNN RIVAL in the Indian Ocean

The previously reported sighting of a yacht by the helicopter of the EU NAVFOR Spanish ship Canarias has been confirmed as the missing British yacht the Lynn Rival.

EU NAVFOR is cooperating with UK ships in the area and the British MOD and FCO have been made aware of the sighting.

Rhib of EU NAVFOR ship KARLSRUHE stopped two pirate skiffs

In the afternoon of October 27th 2009, 350 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, Somalia a French Fishing Vessel was attacked by pirates in two attack skiffs. The pirates opened fire on the Fishing Vessel. Her embarked military Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) fired warning shots after which the pirates broke of their attack.

German EU NAVFOR warship KARLSRUHE (archives - www.marine.de)

The EU NAVFOR German warship FGS Karlsruhe, on anti-piracy patrol in the area, was ordered to set course to the attack position. Simultaneously, the helicopter of EU NAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS Canarias, also on anti-piracy patrol, was launched and relocated two fast attack skiffs trying to flee the area of the attack.

The helicopter fired warning shots to stop both skiffs, after which the pirates stopped and were seen throwing items, presumably pirate paraphernalia, overboard. On arrival of FGS Karlsruhe her boarding team secured both skiffs, and found seven persons on board of the two skiffs. The French Fishing vessel was requested to return to the scene to identify their attackers. Upon their statements the seven suspected pirates were detained on board FGS Karlsruhe.

FGS Karlsruhe and ESPS Canarias take part in the EU NAVFOR mission Operation ATALANTA. The main tasks of Operation ATALANTA are to escort merchant vessels carrying food of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP), the protection of vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.

The two suspected pirates were arrested 3 October when they left the hijacked Spanish fishing vessel the ALAKRANA in a small boat. They were intercepted and arrested by the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship CANARIAS. The suspected pirates have been transported by air to Spain for prosecution.

EU NAVFOR warship CANARIAS

Late in the evening of 3 October, two of the suspected pirates who gained control of the Spanish tuna fishing vessel ALAKRANA the day before, were arrested by the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship CANARIAS.

The suspected pirates had left the ALAKRANA with a small boat that was detected and stopped by the EU NAVFOR warship. During the arrest, one of the pirates was lightly injured, but he was given immediate medical treatment by the doctor onboard EU NAVFOR CANARIAS and his condition is stable.

Both suspected pirates are now on board CANARIAS. The hijacked Spanish fishing vessel ALAKRANA has anchored of the coast of Somalia.

Fishing vessels are always at a higher risk of piracy than other ships on the high seas. For this reason, EU NAVFOR has been working closely with the fishing fleets in the region, which are operating outside any territorial waters or Exclusive Economic Zones.

Regular flights by maritime patrol aircraft are conducted, and a number of warships are assigned to patrol the fishing grounds, protecting and reassuring the fishermen. Specialist advisors from the tuna fishing industry are stationed at Northwood to work alongside the military commanders of the operation. At the time of this attack, the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship CANARIAS was in company with a number of tuna fishing vessels.

EU NAVFOR is working very closely with the Spanish authorities, other military forces in the region and the fishing industry to provide assistance in this case and provide continued protection to all legitimate fishermen and seafarers in this vast stretch of troubled waters.

Fisherman arrived on board of EU NAVFOR warship CANARIAS

On 15 September the EU NAVFOR warship ESP CANARIAS received a call from the Spanish Navy Ops Centre (COVAM) about an injured sailor onboard the Spanish fishing vessel INTERTUNA I

The vessel was located 300 miles off the Somali coast. A fisherman had been seriously wounded by a shark bite and required immediate medical assistance. EU NAVFOR FHQ directed the EU NAVFOR warship CANARIAS to render immediate assistance to the fishing vessel.

ESPS CANARIAS proceeded at full speed to the area, conducted a medical evaluation and moved the injured fisherman onboard the warship for further medical treatment.

The EU NAVFOR frigate headed for Port Victoria in the Seychelles allowing the injured man to be speedily evacuated by her helicopter. The fisherman is now in a Seychellois hospital.

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The injured sailor of the fishing vessel ¨INTERTUNA I¨ who was bitten by a shark was evacuated to a hospital in Port Victoria.

The EU NAVFOR warship CANARIAS completed the evacuation of the Spanish sailor, who got bitten by a shark during the night of the 15th. After 24 hours proceeding to Seychelles, at 1700 GMT,  the helicopter took off from the warship´s deck in order to take the injured sailor to the hospital in the city of Port Victoria.

An hour and a half later, the helicopter landed at the airport, where an ambulance and medical personnel were waiting for the patient. Immediately began his treatment and was quickly taken to a hospital.

While moored at Port Victoria for a few hours the next day, the Spanish warship was visited by the director of the fishing company, to which the ¨INTERTUNA I”  belongs, and the operations manager of all the Spanish fishing companies that operate in the Indian Ocean.
Both told the the commanding Officer of EU NAVFOR warship CANARIAS that after the surgery the sailor was well, that he will not lose the arm, and that the collaboration between both sides was crucial to save the sailor´s life.

Spanish Warship rescues a member of a fishing vessel

On Thursday around noon, the EU NAVFOR warship CANARIAS received a telephone call from the Spanish Centre of Operation and Maritime Surveillance (COVAM) informing that a sailor of the fishing vessel ¨INTERTUNA I¨ had been bitten by a shark, while the crew was recovering its nets. Immediately both ships turned to an interception course and proceed at maximum speed to close their 450 nautical mile distance.

The Commanding Officer of the Spanish warship, constantly evaluating the status of the injured sailor and the conditions at sea, decided to get closer to the vessel and to use the pneumatic boat for the evacuation. Around midnight the sailor was examined by the medical personnel, on board the CANARIAS. After evaluation, they decided to reach Seychelles, as soon as possible, in order to take the sailor to a hospital. Although his status was ¨stable¨, he had lost a great amount of blood, but is now secure in Port Victoria’s hospital.

The Spanish warship CANARIAS is taking part in the European Union Naval Force Somalia – Operation ¨Atalanta¨ against piracy The collaboration between the Spanish warship and the Spanish fishing vessels has been crucial in saving the sailor´s life.

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