EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

On Wednesday 6 May 2015 Spanish Navy warship, ESPS Rayo, completed her counter-piracy deployment with Operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia. Since joining the Mission in December 2014, she has sailed more than 28,000 nautical miles in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, conducting patrols and meeting local seafarers.

During her deployment, ESPS Rayo conducted Friendly Approaches with local sea farers in order to better understand and address local maritime security issues. She also hosted meetings with local Somali leaders on board and assisted EU sister mission EUCAP Nestor in the training of Maritime Forces of Somalia, Djibouti, Madagascar and the Seychelles.

ESPS Rayo is now heading back to Spain after a successful deployment helping to  keep the waters off the Somali coast safe from pirate attacks.