Visit to Madagascar

During her recent port visit to Antsiranana, Madagascar, ITS Grecale helped with essential maintenance repairs at a local orphanage and trained local naval forces.

Sailors from EU Naval Force Warship ITS Grecale Help with Repairs at Orphanage and Train Navy Forces During Visit to Madagascar

During her recent port visit to Antsiranana, Madagascar, ITS Grecale helped with essential maintenance repairs at a local orphanage and trained local naval forces.

After mooring in the Bay of Diego Suarez, the Commanding Officer of ITS Grecale, Commander Onoforio Marco Frumusa, first hosted political and military officers from the region. The following days, specialist teams from ITS Grecale worked with the Malagasy Navy to carry out briefings and training for boarding operations, counter-piracy operations, the detection and disposal of explosive devices and first aid.

Training exercises such as this are a key component of the EU’s comprehensive approach which is helping to develop regional states’ capacities to strengthen maritime security, and deter and disrupt piracy.

During the port visit, sailors from the Italian warship also took the opportunity to visit a health facility called ‘The Samaritan’, run by the Sisters of St John the Baptist and two orphanages ‘Foyer Nazareth’ and ‘Foyer Saint Famille’, which are located on the outskirts of Diego Suarez. Whilst there, the crew undertook essential maintenance work on buildings and presented a donation.

On Saturday 21 March, the Archbishop of Antsiranana held a Holy Mass on ITS Grecale’s Flight Deck that was attended by the crew, the local Italian community and children from the orphanages.

The sailors then made a monetary donation, which will be used to buy toys and educational material for the children in the orphanages and local hospital.

ITS Grecale and her crew have now returned to sea to continue counter-piracy operations as part of Operation Atalanta.

Source: EU Naval Force.