ESPS frigate Santa Maria joined Operation Atalanta last month. Her mission is to protect the World Food Programme vessels and to deter, prevent and repress piracy off the coast of Somalia. However, during the 3rd and 4th July, the ESPS Santa Maria, carrying on board the FHQ, conducted a different mission, but not less important.
On July 3, the vessel “Al-Thakhira”, which was sailing in the IRTC (International Recommended Transit Corridor), through the Gulf of Aden reported a critical medical emergency on board: one of its crew members was having a stroke and required immediate medical assistance. After analyzing the situation, Spanish Rear Admiral Ignacio Villanueva, Commander of European Naval Force in Operation Atalanta, ordered the frigate Santa Maria to provide health care to the merchant vessel.