Spanish ship Castilla (L52)

Castilla docked at the Rota naval base.
History
Spain
Name: Castilla
Namesake: Castilla
Ordered: 1991
Builder: Empresa Nacional Bazán
Laid down: May 1997
Launched: 14 June 1999
Commissioned: 29 June 2000
Homeport: Naval Station Rota
Identification: Pennant number: L52
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Galicia-class landing platform dock
Displacement: 13,000 tonnes (13,000 long tons; 14,000 short tons)
Length: 160 m (520 ft)
Beam: 25 m (82 ft)
Draft: 6.2 m (20 ft)
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 185

Castilla (L52) is a Galicia-class landing platform dock (LPD), and is the ship number 12th in this name. She is the sister ship to amphibious warfare vessel Galicia.

History

Humanitarian missions

On 28 October 2004, Castilla deployed to Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, and delivered some Marines.[1]

Castilla participated in the NATO exercise Operation Loyal Mariner 2005, as the flagship of the sea elements.[2]

Spain sends Castilla to New Orleans as part of NATO's Hurricane Katrina relief operation in Louisiana, in mid-September 2005.[3]

Castilla participated in the NATO exercise Operation Brilliant Mariner 2006, as the flagship of the sea elements.[4]

Castilla participated in the NATO exercise Operation Steadfast Jackpot 2006.[5]

Castilla is dispatched to help in Haiti earthquake relief, after the 12 January 2010 quake, as part of Operación Hispaniola, on 22 January 2010.

Operación Hispaniola

Main article: Operación Hispaniola

Spain dispatched Castilla to aid in relief efforts after the 7.0 magnitude 12 January 2010 Haiti earthquake.

The mission was announced on 19 January 2010, with the ship transporting a field hospital, 50 medical officers, 450 troops.[6] Also on board are three helicopters,[7] and several fast boats.[8]

Castilla left Rota on 22 January 2010, carrying 423 troops, and 4 helicopters, headed for Petit-Goâve, Haiti.[9]

On 1 February 2010, Castilla arrives at San Juan in Puerto Rico to pick up additional supplies.[10][11]

On 4 February 2010, Castilla arrives at Petit-Goâve.[10]

As of 5 February 2010, landing craft from the ship have started disgorging equipment.[12]

Castilla is expected to remain on-station at Petit-Goâve for three months.[13]

Rescue missions

On 10 May 2010, the Castilla was tasked to assist the motor yacht Sagamar, with its 33-year-old injured crew member. The team from Castilla successfully extracted the injured, began medical treatment and disembarked him in the Azores for further medical treatment.[14]

References

  1. (Spanish) El Periódico de Aragón, "Las tropas españolas en Haití montan el campamento", EFE, 30 October 2004 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  2. (Norwegian) Forsvaret, "Norge i uvant øvelsesrolle", 26 April 2005 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  3. (Spanish) Terra, "Buque "Castilla", listo salir en 48 horas si lo pide OTAN y EEUU", EFE, 12 September 2005 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  4. (Norwegian) Forsvaret, "Trener til Nato-beredskap", 4 March 2006 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  5. (Italian) Dedalonews, "Esercitazione “Steadfast Jackpot 2006″: la NATO Response Force verso la Full Operational Capability", M. Amatimaggio, 28 April 2006 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  6. Monsters and Critics, "Spain to send warship to Haiti (2nd Roundup)", Deutsche Press-Agentur, 19 January 2010 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  7. (French) Mer et Marine, "L'Espagne dépêche le TCD Castilla à Port-au-Prince", 20 January 2010 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  8. (French) Le Figaro, "Haïti: l'Espagne envoie 450 militaires", AFP, 19 January 2010 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  9. (French) Ouest France, "Le navire-hopital espagnol devrait arriver à Petit-Goave début février", 27 January 2010 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  10. 1 2 Latin American Herald Tribune, "Spanish Aid Ship Reaches Haiti", EFE, 4 February 2010 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  11. (Spanish) Agencia EFE, "El buque "Castilla" hace escala en Puerto Rico camino de Haití", 2 February 2010 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  12. Latin American Herald Tribune, "Spanish Military on the Ground in Haiti", Jose Luis Paniagua, 5 February 2010 (accessed 7 February 2010)
  13. AOL news, "Rural Haitians Say Aid Is Still Lacking", Meredith Mandell, 8 February 2010 (accessed 9 February 2010)
  14. Motor Yacht Sagamar, 15 May 2010 (accessed 1 September 2015)
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