At 00:01 on 25 January, the German Navy tender "Werra" took over the tasks of the frigate "Brandenburg" in the NATO-Unter-support mission in the Aegean. The flagship handover took place in the harbour of Souda in Crete. What is actually routine is subject to the restrictions of the pandemic this time. The strain on the crews is currently exceptional, as they are not allowed ashore.
The inspector of the navy thanked via Twitter Commander and crew of the frigate for the very successful operation in the Aegean Sea and wished them an undisturbed transit home. To the men and women of the "Werra" tender he wished them a smooth and successful start to the mission.
The ships provide Greek and Turkish authorities with information for a complete picture of the situation in the Aegean Sea and about smuggling activities there. Liaison personnel from the Turkish and Greek authorities are on board the German lead ship. After peaking at around 853,000 people crossing the Aegean in 2015, the number initially fell sharply in the following years. In 2019, 83,300 migrants were registered in the Aegean, including those crossing the border by land. From January to the end of May 2020, around 7,800 border crossings were recorded.
Text: Bundeswehr Operational Command
Photos: German Navy/Fregatta Brandenburg
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