On Tuesday 25 March 2015 the XXI (21) Spanish Air Force team, which has been deployed as part of the European Union’s counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia for the past four months, held a Transfer of Authority (TOA) ceremony in Djibouti to hand over their duties to the new XXII (22) crew.

The new Spanish Air Force counter-piracy crew is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Alfonso Reyes and they will continue to fly the CN-235 VIGMA aircraft.

The ceremony, which took place at the French Air Force Base, was attended by Colonel Antonio F. Nebot Mas from Spanish Air Combat Command and French military representatives.

Colonel Mas wished the new crew every success and commended the excellent contribution by the Spanish Air Force to Operation Atalanta, with their ‘eyes in the sky’ role helping to keep seafarers and vessels safe by deterring and disrupting pirate attacks.