Laura Pons has made history as the first female mine clearance diver in Spain. A determined figure in the Spanish Navy, her journey is one of overcoming obstacles and breaking barriers in a male-dominated field. Laura Pons: Trailblazing navy diver Mallorcan Laura Pons has made history by becoming the first and only female mine clearance diver in Spain, based in Cartagena.
Her career in the Spanish Navy, which began in December 1999 when she was just 23 years old, is a story of determination and passion for the sea. Most Read on Euro Weekly News Spain confirms €564 monthly housewife payout for 2025 Spanish thunderstorm danger: Unplugging TV not enough Why now is the time for Brits in Spain to get a TIE card Before joining the Navy, Pons worked for a yacht crew agency in Mallorca, where she believed that the world of luxury yachts would offer her a well-paid career. Pons quickly excelled in communications on board and in bridge navigation manoeuvres.
After a year on an amphibious ship, she moved to the frigate Canarias. However, facing a period of discouragement, she requested a transfer to the Porto Pi Naval Stationnear her family in Mallorca, considering the possibility of leaving the Navy. In 2009, Pons took a new direction, completing a basic diving course in Cartagena, which qualified her to dive with air-based equipment and perform rescue swimmer tasks.
She then progressed to the challenging mine clearance diver course, mastering the use of semi-closed equipment that re.
