Hurricane "MITCH"

As part of the Spanish contribution to mitigate the damage caused by hurricane "Mitch" in Central America in October 1998, the Spanish government decided to send an engineers unit.

The unit, known as UING "Salamanca", was essentially made up of personnel from the 11th Engineer Specialty Regiment and was composed of command and top brass, a pontooneers unit, a machinery unit, a service unit and a CIMIC team, totalling 144 troops.

The Unit’s materiel was transported to the region on the amphibious ship “Galicia”, while personnel were carried on an air force transport aircraft. They returned on the ship “Pizarro” and on a military plane.

During its stay in Central America, from 14 December 1998 until 28 April 1999, the Unit erected two double-T reinforced 40-metre “Bailey” type bridges, one across the Guasaule River on the Nicaragua-Honduras border and the other across the Juticalpa River in Honduras.

In addition, 97 kilometres of highways and tracks were rebuilt and lighting and sanitation systems were installed or repaired.

Furthermore, over 2,200 patients were provided with medical care and some 250 tonnes of humanitarian aid were delivered to 6,600 families, in coordination with the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation.