The ‘Méndez Núñez’ arrives at Ferrol after participating in Operation ‘Atalanta’

The F-100 frigate ‘Méndez Núñez’ has arrived at her home port of Ferrol after a 6-month deployment in the Indian Ocean participating in operation ‘Atalanta’.

In the course of her participation in the area of operations, the ‘Méndez Núñez’ lodged the multinational Staff of the EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) under the command of the Spanish rear-admiral Pedro García de Paredes.

During her tour of duty, the ship successfully fulfilled the assigned tasks; namely, the escort and protection of World Food Program ships, delivering more than 30,000 tons of humanitarian aid in the main ports of Somalia.

Of the six pirate groups operating in the area, two were forced to retreat to the coast and the remaining four were detained by ‘Atalanta’ units. 29 suspect pirates were arrested and 21 of them brought to justice. Such a number of detainees represents an unprecedented success in the fight against piracy at judicial level.

The frigate ‘Numancia’ relieved the ‘Méndez Núñez’ on April 6th and joined another Spanish Navy ship operating in the area, the patrol boat ‘Rayo’.