Chennai: Several ICG Ships and ICG aircraft, Naval ships and helicopters, and IAF choppers were involved in sea exercise off Chennai as the two-day 10th edition of theNational Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-22)conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) culminated today. The sea exercise involved two large-scale contingencies with the participation of 16 ICG Ships, one Naval Ship, six ICG aircraft, one Naval Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), one IAF Helicopter, Passenger Vessel Swarajdweep, one tug boat from ChennaiPort Trust, and one boat from the Customs.
The first contingency simulated distress onboard a passenger vessel having 500 passengers onboard whereas the second scenario depicted the ditching of a civil aircraft with 200 passengers. The response matrix in the sea exercise involved various methodologies to evacuate distressed passengers wherein the advent of new-age technology such as the use of remote controlled lifebuoy was demonstrated. Amongst the air elements used in the sea exercise, the rescue modalities demonstrated by the newly inducted Advanced Light Helicopter.
