Benidorm and the Navy strengthen ties with the transfer of the propeller of a corvette that will be displayed in a Poniente roundabout

The Benidorm City Council and the Spanish Navy are going to further strengthen the historic ties that link both institutions with the transfer of a propeller from the corvette 'Hunter' (F-35) to the city of Benidorm. The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, has explained that the installation work on this propeller is being finalised in a recently built roundabout in the Poniente area, ahead of the event that will be held this Thursday, March 21, and where will make the transfer official. 

The mayor has indicated that it will take place at the confluence between the avenues of the Spanish Armada and Xixo, where the propeller will now shine after having been subjected to an exhaustive cleaning and polishing process. . A descriptive plaque will also be installed on the promenade with some of the most relevant data about this ship.

The event will begin with the raising of the Spanish flag on a mast installed next to the propeller, to then unveil the commemorative plaque of the transfer of the Navy to the city of Benidorm, indicated Toni Pérez, who has also invited the citizens to actively participate in this official event, “as a sign of the great connection and relationship of affection and admiration of our city with the Navy and with everything related to the sea.” 

In this sense, he recalled that this relationship "is reflected and palpable in different facets, from the numerous Benidorm residents who have served, worked or commanded on commercial or war ships, such as Vicente Roig, José Pérez Llorca or the Constable Francisco Zaragoza and Such, to monuments such as the one dedicated to those who fell at sea", inaugurated in 1965. He also recalled that, as a result of the links with this armed force, "we have already experienced other events that are also part of the history of Benidorm ”, among which he cited the granting of the Cross of Naval Merit to our patron saint, the Virgin of Suffrage in 2001; the awarding of the city's Gold Medal to the Navy in 2017; or the delivery of their battle flags to several ships held in our municipality.” 

After the official transfer of the propeller of the corvette 'Hunter', the Assembly Hall of the Benidorm City Council will also host on Thursday, at 8:15 p.m., the opening ceremony of the 'Days of the Sea 2024', which they jointly organize the Benidorm City Council and the Frax Foundation of the Valencian Community, the Naval Museum and the Naval Museum Foundation. 

Vice-Admiral Enrique Torres Piñeyro, director of the Institute of Naval History and Culture of the Navy, and captain Juan Escrigas Rodríguez, director of the Naval Museum of Madrid, will participate in it, who will give a conference titled 'The endowments of the Cervera squadron after the combat of Santiago de Cuba'. 

About the “Hunter” corvette
The “Hunter” corvette (F-35) was the fifth ship of the “Discovered” class that, along with five others, formed the 21st Navy Escort Squadron. She was built by the national company Bazán in the Ferrol shipyards and launched on October 17, 1978, with the godmother being Mrs. Amparo Illana de Suárez, wife of the then president of the government Adolfo Suárez. 

It was delivered to the Navy on July 20, 1981, establishing its base in Cartagena. In 2004, it was converted into a high-altitude patrol vessel, adopting the number P-78, moving its base to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and returning again to Cartagena in 2012. Finally, it was decommissioned on April 26, 2018 at the Arsenal. from Cartagena, after having sailed during its 37 years of service more than 566,000 miles in 3,507 days at sea and having called at a total of 83 national and international ports and visited 25 countries.

He participated in the embargo operations in Iraq, EUROMARFOR, Active Endeavor, Noble Centinela, UNIFIL, Indalo, Gulf of Guinea and numerous maritime surveillance and security operations. Since its conversion into a patrol vessel and until it was discharged from the Navy, it was part of the Maritime Action Force (FAM) which, within the Fleet, is made up of the set of units whose main task is to prepare to protect maritime interests. national rights and the control of maritime spaces of sovereignty and national interest, being responsible, with a comprehensive approach, for ensuring permanent cooperation with the various Administration bodies with powers in the maritime field, which constitutes the contribution of the Navy to the State action at sea.