08.06.2012
Text: Western Military District Press Service
Photo: Western Military District Press Service
Active phase of the Barents-2012 joint Russian-Norwegian search-and-rescue exercise has finished in the Barents Sea; the participants rescued crew of a "distressed" ship.
Both countries dispatched 7 ships and 4 aircraft to the exercise. Russia was represented by Northern Fleet (NF) rescue tug
SB-523, rescue tug
Atria of state-led fishing company
Murmanrybvod, coast guard patrol ship
Zapolyarye and rescue boat
Markab; Norway delegated patrol vessels
Svalbard,
Senja, and
Harstad.
According to scenario, a ship "inflamed" in the Barents Sea and then sank. Six crewmembers managed to get on the lifesaving raft, and nine men fell into water.
Patrol airplanes
Il-38 and
Orion detected distressed sailors (dummy men and six Norwegian volunteers); helicopters
Ka-27PS and
Sea Lynx picked up sufferers and delivered to the ships for further medical care.
Effective actions of NF search-and-rescue helicopter
Ka-27PS and rescue tug
SB-523 were highly appreciated by experts of Norwegian rescue coordination center.
The
Barents is the only search-and-rescue exercise held by Russia and Norway in the Arctic on annual basis. The exercise is directed by Russian and Norwegian representatives by rotation.
The
Barents-2012 exercise lasts till June 8. Norwegian and Russian search-and-rescue assets are conducting oil spill response drills at the time.
