Frigate F-221 King Ferdinand, photo: Roman naval forces
A sailor on board the frigate “King Ferdinand”, a ship of the Romanian Naval Forces in the Mediterranean, disappeared on Sunday morning on board the ship, the Ministry of National Defense (MApN) announced in a press release.
The ship participates, from the beginning of May, in the EUNAVFOR MED IRINI operation, carried out under the aegis of the European Union, along with ships in France, Greece and Italy.
“At the time of transmission of this statement, the search-rescue operations at sea are in progress,” says MApN.
The missing military man is the Second Class Military Master Viorel Culea, an electromechanical specialist, 46 years old, unmarried, employed in the Romanian naval forces in 2003. The man was last seen on the ship around 04:30.
The incident took place while the “King Ferdinand” was in the international waters of the Mediterranean, about 90 nautical miles from the Libyan port.
The crew found the man's disappearance around 07:00.
“According to the standards applicable in such situations, the frigate commander has urgently ordered his search measures, both aboard the ship and by sea, through his own forces – including with the helicopter on board. In parallel, the command of the EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, which sent the additional means to the area, was notified.”
Also, the military prosecutor's office was notified, and the frigate commander appointed a commission that investigates the circumstances of the disappearance.
The frigate “King Ferdinand” has a crew of 240 soldiers and left on May 5 from the Constanta military port to participate in the EUNAVFOR MED IRINI operation. The mission aims to support the respect of the embargo on the weapons imposed on Libya through the UN Security Council resolutions. The ship recently made a planned stop in the port of Souda, Greece, from where it left on May 31 to the patrol area.
According to the MApN, the frigate is about to return to the country in mid -June.
