HMS Richmond and FS Courbet complete their operation Sophia tasking
After almost two months of intense activity at sea as part of EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia Task Force, the planned time to say goodbye to HMS Richmond 
and the FS Courbet , respectively British and French frigates, has come.
“It has been a real privilege to be part of the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean, a hugely professional organization. In particular I wish to thank the ships we have worked alongside, the ITS Cavour, ESPS Canarias, FS Courbet, SNS Triglav, FGS Berlin, FGS Schleswig-Holstein, BNS Leopold I and HMS Enterprise. They have been truly dedicated to saving lives and dismantling the networks of the smugglers. I hope HMS Richmond can contribute again in future to this, and other, European Union Naval operations”.
With these words, HMS Richmond Commanding Officer, CDR Mark Anderson, has briefly summed up the experience in operation Sophia during which the Royal Navy ship rescued 234 people and assisted in the rescue of many more while contributing to the disruption of people trafficking in the Mediterranean Sea.
Together with her also the French La Fayette-class frigate Courbet has left the European Task Force, after 45 days at sea in which the ship boarding team has conducted various friendly approaches and flag inquiries in order to collect pieces of information about suspicious vessels and smugglers.
Further investigations have also been conducted in order to intercept human smugglers operating at sea and on board migrants’ boats after rescue operations.
It was in fact the 7th of October, FS Courbet very first day in the operation, when the 176 crew members were involved in a rescue operation saving the life of 80 migrants. Additionally, the embarked helicopter Panther undertook 19 flight operations in order to spot migrant boats and to identify any possible illegal activity in the area. EUNAVFOR MED operation SOPHIA, launched on the 22nd of June 2015, has entered its second phase last October 7th.
Until now the Operation contributed to save more than 5400 people while 43 people have been reported to the Italian Authorities as possible smugglers and 43 boats have been removed from illegal organizations’ availability.