 |
|
Crew of the Spanish warship Marques de la Ensenada rescue a stranded sailor adrift for several days after engine failed. Photo: Spanish Navy |
Earlier today the Spanish Ship ESPN Marques de la Ensenada was alerted to a small craft in distress after the lone passenger in a stranded boat fired a signal flare. Upon approaching the six meter launch the crew discovered that the sailor had been adrift for several days after an engine failure. He had also run out of food and water.
Mechanics tried unsuccessfully to repair the engine and the Cyprus coastguard, alerted to the situation, requested that Marques de la Ensenada tow the vessel to a rendezvous point with a Search and Rescue vessel. The sailor has been taken on board the Spanish warship and is reported to be safe and well.
ESPN Marques de la Ensenada is part of a substantial Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 currently carrying out Surge Operations in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean as part of Operation Active Endeavour.
Background Information:
SNMG 2 is a multinational integrated maritime force that forms part of the NATO Response Force and operates under the command of the Allied Maritime Command in Naples. Permanently activated and held at high readiness it is a mobile and flexible force that allows the Alliance to respond to today's security challenges. The group currently consist of 12 ships and is under the command of Commodore Michiel B. Hijmans Royal Netherlands Navy.
The ships are:
HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (flagship), The Netherlands
TCG Barbaros, Turkey
ESPN Marques de la Ensenada Spain
ESPN Mendez Nunez Spain
HS Themistocles, Greece
FGS Bremen, Germany
ITS Avire, Italy
ITS Espero, Italy
ITS Bettica, Italy
HS Hydra, Greece
ROS Regel Ferdinand, Romania
URS Ternopil, Ukraine