His Majesty the King presides over the Naval Review

Yesterday, September 6th, His Majesty the King Felipe VI presided over the commemoration of the first circumnavigation of the globe, when Juan Sebastián de Elcano arrived at Sanlúcar de Barrameda commanding the ship “Victoria” exactly 500 years ago.

The King was accompanied by the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy, the President of the Spanish Parliament, the President of the Andalusian Regional Government and the Mayors of Seville and Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

They all embarked on board the training tall ship “Juan Sebastián de Elcano” and presided the Naval Review which took place from 11.30 to 12.00 in waters off Rota and Chipiona.

The following Spanish Navy units participated in the parade: LHD “Juan Carlos I”, LPD “Galicia”, AOR “Patiño”, FFG frigates “Victoria”, “Reina Sofía” and “Navarra”, F-100 frigate “Almirante Juan de Borbón”; OPVs “Audaz”, “Tornado”, “Vigía” and “Medas”, and the auxiliary vessel “Mar Caribe”. In addition, STOL AV-8B “Harrier” aircraft and SH-60B and SH-60F helicopters joined the event and overflew the parade.

After the naval review, the “Juan Sebastián de Elcano” headed towards a buoy named after the famous Spanish sailor located in the Guadalquivir estuary and there, the Spanish Navy paid tribute to all those who died in the course of that three year-long expedition with a wreath laying ceremony.