Taiwan to hold emergency rescue drill in South China Sea

ROC Central News Agency

2018/05/10 17:24:55

Taipei, May 10 (CNA) Several government agencies will hold a joint exercise in the South China Sea on Friday to test Taiwan's disaster relief and emergency response at sea, according to the Coast Guard Administration (CGA).

In a statement Thursday, the CGA said the drill, codenamed "Southern Aid No. 3," will simulate a scenario in which a Taiwanese cargo ship and a foreign-registered vessel collide, leaving several people injured or missing.

The participating government agencies will focus on six aspects of Taiwan's humanitarian rescue capabilities, including its disaster relief response mechanisms and use of unmanned aerial vehicles for sea rescue, the CGA said.

The exercise will also test the protocol for sending out medical missions in national disasters, how to rapidly increase medical capacity on Taiping Island, the work of emergency medical responders, and the use of 4G audio and visual communication, the CGA said.

It said the drill will showcase Taiwan's humanitarian rescue capabilities and its vital role in the South China Sea and will also serve to reiterate Taiwan's commitment to peace and safety in the region.

(By Huang Lee-jung and Kuan-lin Liu)
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