VALVERDE (EL HIERRO), 26 (EUROPA PRESS)
The Government delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, unveiled the Salvamar Acrux rapid response vessel on Tuesday at the port of La Restinga, which will enhance the emergency services available on the island.
Accompanying Pestana were Brigadier General Juan Hernández, the chief of the Canary Islands Civil Guard Zone, Lieutenant General Manuel Navarrete, head of the Civil Guard’s Borders and Maritime Police, maritime captain of Tenerife, José Antonio Conde, and María Dolores Septién, head of the Tenerife Coordination and Rescue Centre.
Salvamento Marítimo, an agency that operates under the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility through the General Directorate of Merchant Marine, reported the addition of this mobile salvage vessel in El Hierro due to the surge in migratory activity in recent months, joining the Salvamar Adhara.
Consequently, with the launch of the Salvamar Acrux, Salvamento Marítimo brings in the concept of ‘mobile’ salvage operations, which bolster the resources in areas with higher activity or when units are out of commission.
The introduction of this unit in El Hierro has seen the integration of 8 new crew members into the operation – 4 per shift – to enhance the Maritime Rescue efforts across the islands and to facilitate the crews’ rest periods.
This initiative is part of a specific reinforcement of the salvamar fleet in the Canary Islands, which added a total of 6 new personnel in September to improve maritime safety services in light of the increasing number of vessels carrying migrants.
The agency specifies that the comprehensive resources available in the Canary Islands comprise eleven salvage-type rescue ships – three in Tenerife, two in El Hierro, one in La Gomera, one in La Palma, two in Gran Canaria, one in Fuerteventura, and one in Lanzarote; four Guardamar-type rescue patrol boats operating throughout the archipelago; two helicopters (based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Tenerife Sur); one fixed-wing aircraft (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria); two Rescue Coordination centres (Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria); two mobile tugboats (Heroínas de Sálvora – Santa Cruz and Miguel de Cervantes – Las Palmas); as well as a base for rescue and anti-pollution equipment (Tenerife).
