On the second Sunday in October, the Spanish frigate "Santa Maria" (F81, type ship of the same class, Spanish Oliver-Hazard-Perry licence build 1982-94) should have replaced her sister ship "Numancia" (F83) in the "European Union Naval Force - Somalia - Operation Atalanta". At the very least, this day was scheduled as the departure date from the Rota naval base in south-west Spain. However, two days before departure, shortly after midnight, a fire broke out in the empty helicopter hangar, which could only be declared extinguished the following day - with such extensive damage that departure was no longer an option. The quick reaction of the crew and the support of the neighbouring units and the base fire brigade prevented major damage to equipment and even injuries. It is not yet possible to make any statements about the cause, extent of damage and repair time. In any case, Spain has a duty to provide a rapid replacement for the unit in the Gulf of Aden so that the European Union's multinational mission to protect humanitarian aid supplies to Somalia and prevent piracy in the sea area, which has been in existence since 2008, can continue seamlessly. The latest optimistic reports assume that repairs are progressing well at the nearby Cadiz Arsenal and that a new departure date will be set for early November.
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