EUNAVFOR MED Force Commander visits Pantelleria Forward Operational Base
Yesterday, Monday 14th December, EUNAVFOR MED Force Commander, Rear Admiral (LH) Andrea GUEGLIO and his Chief of Staff, Captain Abel ROMERO, visited the Forward Operational Base (FOB) located in Pantelleria (Italy) where the Luxemburg Seagull Merlin III 
aircraft is temporarily detached.
A redeployment strongly backed by the Force Commander and originated from the operational requirement to test Pantelleria Airbase as backup Forward Operational Base.
Addressing the Seagull’s crew, Admiral Gueglio took the chance to underline the “complete success of the redeployment” from Sigonella (Italy) where the aircraft is based since last July the 18th when it joined EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia .
Before flying back to the mission Flagship, Italian Light Aircraft Carrier GARIBALDI , EUNAVFOR MED Force Commander informally met with Colonel Massimo Viarengo, Commander of Pantelleria’s Air Detachment that is hosting the Luxemburg Seagull Merlin III aircraft.
Luxembourg is one of the 22 EU contributing Member States to EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia, that moved to its second phase in high seas last October the 7th, being part of a wider EU’s comprehensive approach to migration, tackling both current symptoms and root causes such as conflict, poverty, climate change and persecution.
The mission is aimed at contributing to disrupt the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Mediterranean and to prevent the further loss of life at sea.
