China’s largest ever maritime search-and-rescue exercise, involving 400 people, 28 fleets, two helicopters and an aircraft, was carried out on Thursday in the waters near Dalian Port, northeast China’s Liaoning Province.
The exercise started when a “collision” between a passenger ferry and a cargo boat was reported at 10:30 a.m. and the National Maritime Rescue Emergency Plan was enacted immediately. The main elements of the exercise, including the rescue of 368 passengers and dozens of sailors, fire-fighting and cleaning up an oil spill, were completed in 90 minutes.