I would soon learn the coordination efforts and planning were just about to start. The situation in Spain had worsened in just four days. All the hotels were closed by a government decree, the nation was quarantined at home and the government declared a national state of alarm.
When we arrived in Rota, there were two protocols established, one for me in isolation on base and one for the rest of the personnel in quarantine, at a local base quarters for nationals and in a hotel for the international members of the staff. The hotel was specifically requested to remain open to national authorities to quarantine our staff.
We remained in this situation for 15 days and the plan was to re-embark us as soon as possible. In the AOO on board NUMANCIA, the FHQ was composed of three dedicated members of the staff plus some NUMANCIA crew members acting as ‘dual hatted’ in support of the FHQ, the COS was named acting FCDR and this reduced FHQ received the support from the Operation Head Quarters (OHQ) until our arrival.
As soon as the initial quarantine period of 15 days elapsed, I took a second PCR test, and to my disappointment, I was positive again. I had to go back into isolation and my hopes for a quick medical recovery soon disappeared. We had just lost a new window of opportunity.
However, it took only two days to draw up a new plan. We would re-embark on the 23rd of April in Mombasa (Kenya), at the next NUMANCIA port visit. At that time, members of the FHQ would continue in quarantine.
By this time, a new national protocol was published for all military forces prior to being deployed. All military personnel going abroad for operations would have to initiate a period of 15 days of quarantine with a PCR test and take another PCR test at the end of that period, then go directly to the airlift for final destination. All Force Head Quarters (FHQ) members and the marine security team followed the procedure, and we finally got medically cleared on the 20th of April, just three days prior to our planned day of travel.
We were all excited and ready. We had been in quarantine or isolation for quite a long time and we were eager to fly to NUMANCIA. Unfortunately, situation in Mombasa was not good either, the flight approval never arrived, this attempt was cancelled, and we had to continue in quarantine.
The period between the 23rd of April and 3rd of May were days of intense planning and uncertainty. The Spanish Joint Command for Operations and the ATALANTA OHQ tried to find a suitable combination of a port and an airfield, but Djibouti first and Salalah in Oman latter, denied permission for the necessary combination. Finally, Egypt accepted our plan of embarkation, and on the 3rd of May we headed to the South Red Sea and onto the Berenice Naval Base. During this time, the quarantine was extended, and more tests were taken to the group to keep us medically current.