Spanish OPV Visits Madagascar

The oceanic patrol vessel (BAM in its Spanish initials) ‘Relámpago’, called at the Malagasy town of Antsiranana (the former Diego Suárez city) from the 22nd to the 25th of April.

During the stay in port, the Spanish patrol vessel conducted a series of activities in collaboration with the Malagasy Navy; namely, a conference on counter-piracy operations, joint diving exercises and maritime interdiction operations (MIO).

This is the second time a Spanish Navy warship calls at the city of Antsiranana; the city had been previously visited by her sister ship ‘Tornado’.

Closer ties were established with civilian and military authorities, both local and regional, during her stay in port. The ship welcomed on board the Honorary Consul of Spain in Madagascar, the Regional President, the District Chief and other national military authorities.

Since her departure from her home port in Las Palmas on February 23rd, the ‘Relámpago’ has been integrated into the European Union counter-piracy operation ‘Atalanta’ in the Indian Ocean. She is scheduled to return home by mid-August.

The ‘Relámpago’, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Isidoro Junguito, is the third unit of the modern ‘Meteoro’-class oceanic patrol vessels.

[mappress]
Press Release, April 29, 2014; Image: Armada