During the EU Naval Force flagship’s port visit to the Seychelles, the EU force commander Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean, paid a visit to the Luxembourg Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) team.
FS Siroco was on a logistics port visit to the Seychelles and as the Luxembourg MPRA is based at the Mahe Island main airport, Admiral Bléjean took the opportunity to call on the unit.
Speaking during his visit, Admiral Bléjean stated: "I am very pleased that EU Naval Force MPRA is able to maintain maritime air security around the area of operations, with support from our regional partners.”
Admiral Bléjean took the opportunity to embark the maritime patrol aircraft for a short patrol in order to get an overview of the capabilities of these crucial air assets and commented: "The MPRAs provide the EU Naval Force with essential information to assess the situation off the Horn of Africa, which is absolutely vital to our operations. I am very impressed with the motivation and commitment of the Luxembourg crews to Operation Atalanta and thank them for their hard work."
At the end of the visit Admiral Bléjean presented two of the Luxembourg crew with Operation Atalanta medals as they were leaving the air detachment after a five-week rotation.