Change of Command in Op Atalanta

German corvette FGS Erfurt which has been deployed to EUNAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta at the Horn of Africa since August 2015 recently welcomed a new crew.

The corvette sailed 22.000 sea miles under the command of the outgoing Corvette Captain Robert Schmidt. Now, the crew of another corvette, the FGS Oldenburg, will be taking over under the command of Frigate Captain Thomas Klitzsch who will simultaneously become the Contingent Commander of the German operation contingent.

58 marines will switch places as team “Charlie”, of the 1st Corvette Squadron, is replaced by team “Delta”.

In a short address on the corvette’s deck, outgoing Corvette Captain Schmidt said: “We have proved in the last weeks that our corvette is capable of making a notable contribution to the fight against piracy at the Horn of Africa.”

Thereafter, Frigate Captain Klitsch assumed command of FGS Erfurt and the German operation contingent in operation Atalanta. The new crew will spend a number of weeks off the Somalian coast before they head for the UNIFIL deployment in the southern Mediterranean Sea.

After spending some time with UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon), the FGS Erfurt will return to its homeport in Warnemünde, Germany, in June 2016.