Russia, South Korea coast guards hold manoeuvres in East Sea.

7/7 Tass 75
VLADIVOSTOK, July 7 (Itar-Tass) - Russian and South Korean coast
guards have conducted joint manoeuvres in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) in
the area of the Mukho port on Wednesday. Taking part in the manoeuvres
were the Russian patrol vessel Herluf Bidstrup and the Bug border guard
vessel, two Korean patrol vessels, helicopters of the Russian FSB aviation
and the Korean National Maritime Police Agency (KNMPA), as well as two
boats and special task force groups from the two sides each, the press
service of the RF FSB border guard department for the Primorsky Territory
told Itar-Tass.
According to the exercise's scenario, a Russian fishing vessel that on
Tuesday left Vladivostok for the South Korean port Donghae, was seized by
a group of armed people. They "took hostage" the captain and crewmembers,
"planted" an explosive device in the engine room, and demanding to set
free their leader who is under arrest, are trying to escape. After getting
information about the vessel's seizure the two countries' border guard
agencies set up an international headquarters and dispatched to the
incident area united forces comprising coast guard ships, aviation and
special units. The Russian and Korean coast guard ships caught up to the
"seized" vessel and blocked it from four sides. Two special task force
groups of the two countries approached the vessel by sea on speed boats
and boarded it. A Ka-27 helicopter and Russia's special forces group
provided fire support. Special task force troops landed on the deck from
the Korean B-506 helicopter and released the vessel and neutralised the
"terrorists." The Korean and Russian specialists also drilled fire
fighting operations on the vessel and rescue of people who fell into the
sea. After the exercise the ships returned to the Mukho port.
"On the results of the manoeuvres the sides exchanged views and
arrived at the conclusion that both Russian border guards and Korean
maritime policemen and both sides' pilots acted accurately, consistently
and highly professionally. This allowed them to fulfil all the tasks set
during the tactical exercise," the FSB border guard department said.
-0-ezh/mil


Delete & Prev | Delete & Next