The only rescue vessel the Spanish navy currently has is the Neptune ( A-20 ), a 45-year-old antique that has not been decommissioned yet because it is still needed for scuba practice . Among its many limitations , the Neptune cannot board a rescue vehicle or a remote-controlled one , nor can it remain in a fixed spot ( to supply oxygen , water and food to a sunken submarine ) unless it is able to deploy its four anchors . For it to be able to do this , sea conditions have to be good and the sea bed cannot be at a depth of more than 50 to 80 meters . The maximum depth that an S-80 sub can operate in during peace times is 350 meters – the depth at war is a military secret .
Unlike the ‘ Neptune ,’ the new ship will be able to remain at a fixed point regardless of whether there is rough sea or the depth of the sea bed ( El Pais )
Brussels lowers growth forecasts for Spain but expects a strong rebound
The European Commission ’ s new report says that economic output will drop by 12.4 % this year , then make gains of 5.4 % in 2021 and 4.8 % in 2022 . The members of the European Union have had very little time to enjoy the respite provided by an economic rebound in the third quarter of the year . On Thursday , the European Commission released its Autumn 2020 Economic Forecast , which projects fresh downturns as the continent grapples with another wave of the coronavirus pandemic . In Spain , Brussels is projecting that gross domestic product ( GDP ) will contract by 12.4 % this year , particularly due to steep falls in the tourism and hospitality sectors . The European executive is also reducing projected growth for 2021 : under the new forecast , the Spanish economy is set to expand by 5.4 % in 2021 and by 4.8 % in 2022 . ( El Pais )