Italy takes command of the Eunavfor force off Somalia

(BRUSSELS2) Change of flagship and flag in Djibouti. The Italians took command of the Eunavfor Atalanta force off Somalia.

 

 

The Dutch commodore, Pieter Bindt, has, in fact, passed the baton - and the flag of the EUNAVFOR Atalanta force to his Italian counterpart, the rear-admiral Giovanni Gumiero, as announced on this blog (read The Italian Rear Admiral Gumiero future leader of Atalanta "in the area...).

 

 

The Force Headquarters (FHQ) - which provides tactical command in the area - thus moves from the Dutch ship Evertsen (F805) to the Italian ship Etna (A5326), placed under the command of the captain, Marco Novella. The only problem is that the Evertsen (F805) which was supposed to start returning to the Netherlands (before Christmas) is currently still stuck in the Indian Ocean with 13 piracy suspects on board (read The Evertsen will miss the turkey).

 

Change at Northwood

Another change, the number 2 of the Operations Staff (OHQ), which coordinates the entire operation and is based in Northwood (London), is now a Spaniard. Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá replaces his German counterpart Thorsten Kaehler. He had explained, a few days ago in Rome, that " piracy continues and should continue until a political solution is found in Somalia ". Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá served in the Spanish fleet aboard the corvette “Infanta Elena”, the destroyer “Gravina” and the frigates “Andalucía” and “Cataluña” and was also assigned to the headquarters of the Armada (the Spanish Navy) as well as the Joint Headquarters.