of Gibraltar until escorting was suspended in 2004. On 4 December 2001, STANAVFORMED ships Aliseo, Formion, and Elrod were called to assist in the rescue of 84 civilians from a stricken oil rig. In high winds and heavy seas, the Italian helicopter of the Aliseo removed all 84 workers from the oil rig in 14 flights. On 2 January 2002, SNFL's Spanish frigate Extremadura and Netherlands oiler , the UK naval vessel and the Greek Coast Guard provided life-saving support to the passengers of a sinking ship in the Eastern Mediterranean off Crete. The Beagles crew repaired the leaking hull and damaged propulsion to the Aydin Kaptan before the weather deteriorated and Greek helicopters began winching the children and women amongst the 254 refugees on board and carried them to Crete and the Amsterdam. On 3 January 2002, the Aydin Kaptan was towed by a Greek fishing vessel, under SNFL escort, to Greek territorial waters. While conducting counter-terrorist operations in the Mediterranean Sea, ships assigned to Operation Active Endeavor have also assisted the Greek government with the prevention of illegal immigration. On 23 March 2006, NATO forces alerted the Hellenic Coast Guard to a vessel named MV Crystal. The coast guard units intercepted the ship and arrested the captain and crew who were attempting to smuggle 126 illegal immigrants. Vice Admiral Roberto Cesaretti went on to state "Although this event relates to criminals, there is also a message for the terrorists here – we are looking for you, and when we find you – there will be no place to hide." In an interview with Rear Admiral Richard Leaman OBE, Chief of Staff of the Allied Maritime Component Command – Naples in June 2006, Jane's Navy International was told that the number of frigates involved in the operation had been systematically pared back, with now only three permanent frigates patrolling the Mediterranean, two standby corvettes from Greece and Turkey, and a small submarine force. However, during surge operations the number apparently can rise to 16 ships with forces from Standing NATO Maritime Groups 1 and 2. Other Mediterranean Dialogue countries expressed interest in collaborating in OAE. An EOL with Morocco was completed on 2 June 2008. It was followed, on 22 October 2009, by a Tactical Memorandum of Understanding defining the modalities of Morocco's participation in the operation. An EOL with Georgia was completed on 26 March 2008. The related