On May 4, 2023, the Operation Commander (OPCDR) of EU NAVFOR - Operation Atalanta, Vice Admiral José María Núñez Torrente awarded the 41st Escort Squadron of the Armada, with an emblem of the Operation on the occasion of the prolonged and successful participation in this operation of the European Union. Currently, the 41st Escort Squadron is commanded by the Captain Isidro Carrara Navas. The ceremony took place on the flight deck of the Frigate "Canarias", at the Rota Naval Base (Cadiz), where the 41st Squadron is based.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Commander of the High Readiness Maritime Headquarters (CGMAD), Rear Admiral Alejandro Cuerda, and the Chief of Staff of CGMAD, CAPT José María Fernandez de la Puente. In addition, the commanders of the frigates "Canarias" CDR Carlos Cordon, "Santa María" CDR Alfonso Moreno, "Numancia" CDR Alfredo Saco and "Navarra" CDR Carlos Maria Garau, as well as the Master Chief Petty Officer of the 41st Squadron MCPO Jose E. Pineda took part of the event.
During the ceremony, the OPCDR expressed his gratitude to the women and men of the different crews of the frigates that compose the 41st Squadron for their extraordinary work in support of the Operation during the more than 14 years of its existence. "The frigates of the 41st Escort Squadron and their crews have become a permanent icon in the Indian Ocean, not to protect the interests of a particular country, but as a standard and spearhead of a greater endeavour that transcends time and borders."
The 41st Escort Squadron of the Armada has been since 2009 the squadron with more participations in Atalanta: 24 deployments in the area of operations, more than 3,000 days in mission, of which 2,450 have been at sea, more than 600,000 Nautical miles sailed, being flagship of the Operation up to in 12 occasions. Currently, the frigate "Reina Sofia" continues to sail in the waters of the Red Sea, permanently monitoring the crisis in Sudan, but maintaining all its capabilities at the service of the Operation's mandate.
This is the second EUNAVFOR emblem that the OPCDR has delivered to Spanish units that have been part of Operation ATALANTA for their extraordinary participation. On January 13, the first emblem was delivered to the 22nd Group of Air and Space Force, at the Morón Air Base (Seville), for the crucial contribution of the P-3 ORION Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft, on the occasion of its decommission.
