VISIT OF THE AIR TACTICAL DETACHMENT (DAT) ‘ORION’ TO THE FRIGATE ‘LUIGI RIZZO’, FLAGSHIP OF OPERATION ‘ATALANTA’

•  This activity reinforces cooperation between EU countries and shows Spain's commitment to Operation Atalanta in the fight against piracy

Members of the Air Tactical Detachment (DAT) ‘Orion’, accompanied by representatives of other countries stationed in Djibouti, have made a visit to the frigate ‘Luigi Rizzo’ (F-595) on the occasion of the commemoration of the Day of the Republic of Italy.

During the visit, the Spanish military were received by the commander of the Operation Atalanta force and the multipurpose frigate, who accompanied them on a tour of its facilities. Afterwards, a solemn lowering of the flag took place, followed by a group photo as a souvenir of this act of fraternisation.

This type of meeting reinforces the commitment of all the countries involved to regional peace and security, while strengthening Spain's cooperation with the Member States of the European Union in the framework of Operation ‘Atalanta’, the EU mission to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.

Soon, the Spanish frigate ‘Navarra’, which is already sailing towards the Indian Ocean, will replace the ‘Luigi Rizzo’ as the flagship of the operation, thus assuming command of Operation Atalanta's Force Headquarters. This handover underscores the commitment with security of the region. Spain has been the only EU country that has participated continuously in Operation Atalanta since its launch.