Submarine and armed forces in action: military bans in Sardinian waters

Sea off limits in Teulada. Furthermore, state-owned areas between Sarrabus and Ogliastra are also off-limits. New inaccessible areas are now in Capo Frasca. And a submarine's activities in the Gulf of Cagliari have been declared hazardous, with a buffer zone (translated: no one is allowed to approach) in the port.

Autumn, leaves are falling everywhere. In Sardinia, like every year, this time with a few additions, the Coast Guard and Port Authority are issuing orders , informing residents of the resumption of exercises at three military ranges and their waters: in the south, east, and west of the island.

The first order was posted on the noticeboard of the Arbatax Maritime District Office on September 20th: the maps are the usual ones, with "interdiction of maritime areas affected by military activities" conducted in front of the PISQ for the entire month of October. These are enormous triangles of sea off the eastern coast. A few days later, these restrictions were added to those affecting state-owned areas: a large section of the Ogliastra coastline becomes red and inaccessible, from Punta de Sa Cala to Portu Santoru.

Then it was the turn of the Sant'Antioco maritime district office, which imposed restrictions under its jurisdiction on the waters of the Teulada shooting range: in October, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, the bans apply from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm off the Delta peninsula and in the waters in front of the shooting range.

This morning, the ordinance was issued for the "temporary" activation of the "Tango 182 regulated area" at the Capo Frasca shooting range, valid from October 6th to 17th: boats and ships are prohibited "for reasons of navigational safety and the protection of human life at sea" around the Santadi plain, the promontory in the Arbus area that encloses the southern part of the Gulf of Oristano.

Meanwhile, the port authority has also taken action: from October 3rd (today) to October 10th, access and parking are prohibited in a portion of the Ichnusa pier, opposite the Luna Rossa base, to allow the Italian Navy's submarine Venuti to dock. This same submarine has likely been subjected to a hazardous condition warning due to underwater maneuvers involving a large stretch of sea south of the capital, with sharp edges stretching from Pula to the coast of Villasimius.

Enrico Fresu