Admiral Antonio Martorell Lacave, who was appointed Chief of Staff of the Navy in February 2021, passed away at the age of 62 in Madrid last Friday. Prior to this position, Martorell held several important military positions, including Admiral of the Fleet, the second-most important position in the structure of the Spanish Navy. During his tenure, his main mission was the preparation and readiness of surface ships, submarines, aircraft, and naval and marine units.
The Ministry of Defense expressed its condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased and stressed that it is a sad day for the Navy and all the Armed Forces. Martorell was a specialist in submarine weapons and had passed through different military ranks during his career, including second-in-command, chief of operations, chief of combat systems, and commander of the minesweeper Miño, the minesweeper Turia, and the amphibious assault ship Castilla, among others.
In addition to his military career, Martorell also held different positions in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as head of the EU Area of the Directorate General for Defense Policy, head of the Logistics Division, commander of Naval Action 2, admiral of Naval Action, commander of Operation Atalanta, and commander of the High Readiness Maritime Headquarters. His death was mourned by the Spanish Navy and by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, who conveyed her condolences to the admiral’s relatives and friends.