On February 15th 2013, the maritime action ship ‘Rayo’ left Cartagena (Murcia) to integrate in Operation ‘Atalanta’. The Maritime Action Admiral delivered a farewell speech and wished the crew every success in the fulfillment of the mission.
After a period of intense training, the patrol boat ‘Rayo’ departed to deploy in Operation ‘Atalanta’ in Indian Ocean waters. This maritime action ship (Buque de Acción Marítima – BAM) with home base in Las Palmas (Canary Islands) will remain in the area for approximately three months (February 26th – May 20th). This ship is the second of her class to deploy in the Indian Ocean after her sister ship ‘Relámpago’.
Operation ‘Atalanta’ is a European Union endeavor which commenced on December 8th 2008. Its purpose is to provide protection to World Food Program (WFP) ships and to fight piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa.
After her deployment in this EU mission, the ‘Rayo’ (P-42) will visit several South African nations in order to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between those countries and Spain.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, February 21, 2013; Image: Spanish Navy