BLYTH Heads Home – The Sandown Class Minecountermeasure Vessel BLYTH is heading home after a six month NATO deployment in the Mediterranean.     The BLYTH commenced Operational Sea Training in February 2012 before deploying.     The BLYTH served with the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 as the 'command platform' during exercises in the region, leading ships from the Turkish, German and Italian navies in all parts of the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea.

The BLYTH deployed in June 2012 and has conducting numerous exercises in mine hunting, surveillance, maritime security operations, since arriving in the region at the end of July, and transited through the Istanbul Straits to the Black Sea, visiting Romania and Bulgaria.        From there the BLYTH proceeded to Italian waters visiting Augusta and Sardinia.     Port visits to Sicily, Albania and Greece followed, after which the BLYTH once again took charge, this time for a major mine hunting exercise in Turkey's Bay of Izmir.