Germany deploys tender to Mediterranean Sea rescue mission

German Navy tender Main (A 515) is scheduled to depart its Eckernförde base and head for the European Naval Force’s rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea.

Main will sail out on October 17 to relieve sister ship Werra, which has been deployed to operation Sophia since June this year.

The two ships will meet in the Italian port of Augusta, Sicily, from where the mission ships operate.

Main’s commander said he was satisfied with how the ship’s crew prepared for the mission adding that he was confident the mission would be successful.

The tender is deploying to a multinational mission called operation Sophia which was set up by the European Union in May 2015 to thwart the business model of human traffickers off the coast of Libya. Navy ships that are part of the mission rescue migrants sailing on overcrowded unseaworthy boats and work on disrupting the “business model” of the smugglers.