Spanish minehunter leaves NATO’s mine countermeasure group

Spanish Navy minehunter ESPS Turia has returned to her home port in Cartagena after a three-month deployment to the the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2).

During her with SNMCMG-2, Turia took part in Spanish and Italian Minex exercises and later in exercises Breeze and Sea Shield.

The Spanish minehunter also participated in Operation Active Endeavour to counter maritime terrorist activities in the Mediterranean Sea and in other operations focused on securing the free traffic of non-combatant allied ships through the Strait of Gibraltar.

The main mission of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two is to provide the Atlantic Alliance with a permanent capability to conduct mine countermeasures operations both, in peacetime and crisis or conflict periods.

Turia (M-34) with a complement of 44 people, is the fourth Segura-class minehunter commissioned into active service with the Spanish Navy in October 2000.