Five countries in rescue, inspection exercise

The Maltese armed forces yesterday joined units from Italy, France, Greece and Tunisia in a search and rescue exercise in the waters around Malta.

The exercise, Canale 2002, was jointly organised by Italy and Malta and also included an exercise in the control and inspection of merchant vessels suspected of illegal activities.

The exercise, coordinated by Malta, involved four ships, seven patrol boats, three planes and five helicopters.

Politicians and senior military officers watched from the Italian destroyer Francesco Mimbelli as demonstrations were held of board and search operations, rescue and assistance to a vessel on fire and recovery of a person in the sea.

Other activities included a flypast by participating aircraft.

France took part in the event with a frigate, a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft, Greece with a corvette and Tunisia with a patrol boat.

Apart from the destroyer Francesco Mimbelli, Italy deployed the Cassiopea Class offshore patrol vessel Libra, three helicopters, including one from the military mission in Malta, an explosive ordinance disposal unit and a boarding team.

Also involved were vessels from the coast guard and the carabinieri .

Malta deployed two patrol boats, a reconnaissance fixed-wing aircraft, a helicopter, an EOD unit and a boarding team.