The Sentinel Navy patrol boat, with its base port in the Ferrol Military Arsenal, set out to sea last Monday, December 11, heading for the northern limit of the Spanish exclusive economic zone, to track a Russian submarine coming from the Baltic, as reported by the Ministry of Defense through a note. A day later, the French frigate FS Auvergne gave the Sentinel the escort of the aforementioned submarine to continue tracking it towards the Finisterre traffic separation device.
After two days of transit with harsh weather conditions, during the early hours of December 14, on the maritime border with Portugal, the Navy patrol boat finally gave up monitoring of the Russian submarine to the Portuguese military forces, thus ending its committed and heading back to Ferrol.
With an approximate crew of 40 people, the high-altitude patrol vessel Centinela is part of the Command of the Units of the Ferrol Maritime Action Force. The main mission of the ship includes carrying out surveillance and maritime security operations in areas of sovereignty and national interest. Likewise, it is common to support other State agencies in the fight against illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other criminal activities.
The Sentinel ship is prepared to carry out maritime interdiction operations (visit, search and, where appropriate, seizure of ships) and provide aid, rescue and assistance at sea if required.