German ocean-going tug Rügen” completes first NATO mission in the Aegean!

German ocean-going tug Rügen” completes first NATO mission in the Aegean!

The deep-sea tug “Rügen” from Wilhelmshaven happily set off to complete its first NATO mission in the Mediterranean. On Thursday the ship set sail for the Aegean Sea with a dedicated crew of 30 people. This mission is part of a larger framework in which NATO has been active since 2016 to address the refugee and migration crisis, such as day24 reported.

The “Rüge” has undergone extensive renovations over the last year and a half in order to meet Bundeswehr standards. Not only the bridge and the radio room, but also the cabins, the small hospital and the galley were redesigned to make everything as professional as possible. Captain Lutz Brücken is confident that the crew, many of whom are newcomers and are gaining their first operational experience here, will grow well together when challenges arise.

Human fates on board

“We did our best to adapt,” said one crew member. The cooperation between the crew, the military staff and the liaison officers from Turkey and Greece works well in Switzerland. But they also talk seriously about the challenges of the mission: “During the mission, we repeatedly discovered refugee boats trying to get from Turkey to Greece,” adds the captain.

The crew is affected by the fate of the refugees and recognizes the risks associated with illegal migration. A good exchange of information on smuggling activities is passed on to the Turkish and Greek authorities, although the NATO mission in the Aegean has no sovereign authority. Instead, it focuses on maritime surveillance and the exchange of situational information in order to combat smuggling networks, as on nwzonline is to be read.

The integration of external personnel into life on board occurs quickly and professionally so that everyone can pull together. “Even though we don’t have an operations center, we make an important contribution to providing situational awareness,” explains a crew member while looking at the blue waves of the Mediterranean.

This mission is expected to last around six months before the “Rügen” returns to Wilhelmshaven. This could be a formative and even transformative experience for the crew, amidst all the challenges and human dramas they encounter. A nice incentive to move smoothly across the sea and also show a good knack for the right strategy.