 As a result, the Ethiopian Navy began to decline further in its capabilities.The Ethiopian Navy lost both its main port and its highway connection to the Ethiopian interior when the EPLF captured Massawa in March 1990, forcing the navys headquarters to move inland to Addis Ababa.The Eritrean rebellion spread to the Dahlak Islands, where the EPLF damaged the Petya II-class frigate "F-1616" beyond repair.