NAPLES, Italy - Belgian Tripartite Class mine hunter BS Narcis left homeport Feb. 2 to join the Standing NATO Mine Counter-measures Group 1. The tour lasted until the 22nd of March when, following NATO’s request for assets to carry out Embargo Operations in support of UNSCR 1970, Belgium decided to detach Narcis.
The commander and crew of Narcis quickly discovered that the mine hunter was able to make a varied and important contribution to supporting and enforcing UNSCRs 1970 and 1973. The ship was able to contribute significantly in providing a recognized maritime picture to the commander of the Task Group and as part of this has carried out hailings of more than 160 merchant and fishing vessels in the maritime approaches to Libya.
Its mine-hunting capabilities came into play, April 29. “Pro-regime forces placed anti-ship mines in front of the port of Misrata and we were called in to carry out counter-measures,” explained Operations Staff Officer Lt. Nicolas Doyen. “It was an extremely aggressive act against ships trying to get humanitarian aid into Misrata, and evacuate people trapped there. NATO had a mine-hunting capability ready in the Task Group”.
In total BS Narcis carried out nine days of mine counter-measure operations during which time the ship operated in front of Misrata. “We didn’t destroy any mines but through sweeping we were able to contribute to significantly reduce the mine threat and allow aid to get into the port,” said Doyen.
Narcis will shortly begin her transit back to Belgium at the end of her six-month deployment. “Back in February it would have been hard to envisage that we were in for such a busy tour or that we’d be carrying out counter-mine operations in the Mediterranean. My crew has acted brilliantly and is a true team. They all know that they have made their contribution to reducing and help stop aggression against the civilian population of Libya and we can sail home with a lot of pride,” said commanding officer Lt. Cmdr. Van Daele.
