Istodard, Molden Heath - The Minmatar Republic Fleet has requested the assistance of CONCORD in search and rescue efforts aimed at locating and recovering a naval vessel that has gone missing in the Molden Heath region. As CONCORD maintains a large presence in the region, the deployment of the DED's Molden Heath Fleet in support of the Republic's own efforts significantly increases the chances of recovering the ship and crew.
CONCORD's Colonel Kasiha Valkanir has been assigned overall command of the DED component of the search efforts. Speaking from CONCORD's Isotard system facilities, Colonel Valkanir said, "The Minmatar Republic Fleet have requested CONCORD help in the search for a missing ship in the Molden Heath region. I will personally be commanding the teams investigating the disappearance of the vessel. There are no further details at this time."
Colonel Valkanir is a career officer with the DED but the Scope's sources note that she served for many years with the marine corps of the Ammatar Fleet, taking part in the notorious Vindication Wars between the Mandate and Minmatar Republic. While her involvement in the present search operations may seem an affront to the Minmatar, it has been suggested to the Scope that another concern is to assure the Ammatar, and their overlords in the Amarr Empire, that CONCORD is not giving cover to a Minmatar Republic operation that could threaten their interests.
This missing ship incident comes only days after the publication and presentation to CONCORD of a report from the Aidonis Foundation and SOE highlighting the large increase in ship losses over the last year, including in border regions such as Molden Heath.