This morning King Felipe VI visited the units deployed to the Balearics as part of ‘Eagle Eye 23-01’, in which around 2,000 soldiers from all over the country are taking part this week.
The monarch, wearing army fatigues, landed at around 10:00 am at the Son Sant Joan air force base.
He was welcomed by the Chief of Defence Staff, Teodoro E. López, among other military commanders.
He then held a meeting with the operational command, where the King was briefed on the progress of the activation.
After this, he watched two F-18 fighter jets take off for a manoeuvre as part of Operation ‘Eagle Eye’, and then greeted several civilian authorities: the government delegate in the Balearics, Aina Calvo, the Mayor of Palma, José Hila, the island’s Councillor for Tourism, Andreu Serra, and the Balearic Minister for Health, Patricia Gómez.
However, the sight of two air force jets screaming across the skies above Calvia did cause some alarm.
The Bulletin received a number of calls from local residents who wanted to know what was going on. However, on learning that is was all part of a routine operation, calm was restored.