Swede Jan Thörnqvist will take command of Atalanta in April

(BRUSSELS2) Sweden has already appointed the man who will command the EU anti-piracy operation "Atalanta", from mid-April to mid-August 2010. This is Commodore Jan Thörnqvist who will take place on board the HMS Carlskrona which will serve as its flagship. The Swedish mission will have about 160 people. Recruitment is ongoing and is expected to end on October 10.

Jan is currently the head of the naval base in Karlskrona, his hometown as well. He entered the navy in 1976, at the age of 17. And after the naval academy sailed on several of the ships of the Swedish Navy: HMS Landsort, HMS Koster, HMS Arholma, HMS Ulvön. Finally, he was at the General Staff in charge of the "analysis" section, commanded the 4th flotilla of the navy. In 2004-2004, he attended the US Naval Command College (NCC) in Newport. He will be 50 in a few days (October 9) and has three children.

(NVP)