After a week of sailing and 1,500 nautical miles covered in difficult weather conditions, the surveillance frigate (FS) Floréal reached Amsterdam Island and disembarked personnel from the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) and firefighters from the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS) of Reunion Island.
Last January, a wildfire forced the evacuation of the island’s residents, consisting exclusively of military personnel and scientists sent on missions for the year. The fire spread massively and ravaged more than half of the island’s surface area.
Rich in biodiversity, Amsterdam Island is home to essential facilities for climate studies and weather prediction. Returning to the base therefore poses major climate and ecological challenges.
Sailors from the FS Floréal have been deployed ashore to assist with the work needed to secure the base and its facilities. An initial assessment of the damage has been carried out to identify the key areas of work that will need to be implemented quickly to make the base fully operational again.
This action reaffirms France’s sovereignty in its exclusive economic zones and underlines the continued commitment of the armed forces to protect the French people.
The Armed Forces in the Southern Indian Ocean (FAZSOI) carry out a wide range of missions in a permanent area of responsibility with significant elongations. From Mayotte and Réunion, more than 1,700 soldiers ensure the protection of the population, protect exclusive economic zones, and combat piracy and illicit trafficking. The FAZSOI frequently support State action missions at sea and implement France’s military partnerships with countries in Southern Africa and the Southern Indian Ocean.