The high-altitude patrol boat leaves its base in Arsenal, with a crew of 85 people, to monitor the Mediterranean, North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla
The high-rise patrol ship ‘Infanta Elena’ left this Sunday from the Cartagena Arsenal, its base port, to join the permanent surveillance and deterrence operations. For this mission, the ship is integrated into the Maritime Operational Command (MOM), under operational control of the Operations Command.
As reported by the Navy in a statement, the ‘Infanta Elena’ will carry out, until May 15, maritime surveillance and security tasks in the Mediterranean, the Alboran Sea, the Spanish possessions in North Africa, the Strait of Gibraltar and the territorial waters of Ceuta and Melilla.
During this patrol, “it will contribute to the action of the State at sea to exercise sovereignty and protect national maritime interests in Spanish waters and in the Exclusive Economic Zone.” It will also “collaborate with other bodies of the Administration that have competences in the maritime field.” Also, on May 7 and 8, it will make a stopover in Ceuta.
The current commander of the ship is Lieutenant Commander Narciso Donoso Alonso and the crew, for this navigation, is 85 people. This includes an operational security team from the Marine Corps, from the Tercio de Levante.
3,000 soldiers on alert
In the Navy they recalled that the Maritime Operational Command is under the command of the Admiral of Maritime Action (Almart) and has its headquarters in Cartagena. And they stressed that permanent surveillance and deterrence operations “allow early detection of threats and facilitate an immediate and viable response to a potential crisis.”
On a daily basis, official sources pointed out, some 3,000 members of the Armed Forces are involved in this type of task.
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