Now Reading: BAM "Relámpago" returns to Las Palmas after 135-day mission in the Gulf of Guinea
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BAM "Relámpago" returns to Las Palmas after 135-day mission in the Gulf of Guinea
The vessel has traveled more than 14,000 nautical miles and collaborated in international exercises to strengthen maritime security in the region.
The Maritime Action Ship (BAM) "Relámpago" (P-43) has returned to its base at the Military Arsenal of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, after completing a 135-day deployment in the waters of the Gulf of Guinea and the west coast of Africa. This mission is part of national and international efforts to improve maritime security in a key area for the strategic interests of Spain and the European Union.
Cooperative security and strategic presence
With a reinforced crew of 71 people and more than 14,000 nautical miles covered, the BAM "Relámpago" has carried out surveillance tasks, combined patrols and support to local navies, investigating a total of 1,200 detections of suspicious vessels. The deployment included visits to eight ports in the region: Douala, Luanda, Libreville, Sekondi, Abidjan, Cotonou, Dakar and Nouadhibou.
During these stopovers, cooperative security activities have been developed with local navies, providing training to more than 280 African military personnel and carrying out nine combined patrols. These actions have strengthened interoperability and mutual trust with the Spanish Navy.
European integration in maritime safety
The "Lightning" has been an active part of the European Union's "Coordinated Maritime Presences" initiative, designed to consolidate a stable presence of European assets in areas of strategic interest. In this framework, the ship has participated in joint exercises with other member countries and has collaborated with regional maritime operations centers within the security scheme of the Yaoundé architecture.
This mission confirms Spain's commitment to international maritime security, regional stability and military cooperation in West Africa.
