A submarine is missing in the confederate Baltic. The unit most likely had a malfunction and settled down. The sailors from Gdynia went to aid – that's how 1 of the impressions of “Sarex ‘25” began. The aim of the task under the auspices of the Operational Command of the Polish Army is to test the readiness of the Polish Army to participate in search and rescue operations.
On land, at sea, in the air, the “Sarex” exercises as usual are conducted with momentum. 4 episodes were located in different parts of Poland. In 3 cases, they come down to seeking and assisting victims of different types of aviation accidents. The military cooperates with police, fire department or Polish Air Navigation Agency. For the second time in history, guests from abroad besides participate. Last year, Lithuania joined the rescue efforts, including the RCC search and rescue coordination centre from German Münster. For respective days, a lot has been happening in the Baltic.
“The sea edition of the exercise consists of respective smaller episodes,” explains Lt. Wojciech Jando of the Centre for Maritime Operations – Marine Component Command in Gdynia. The first 2 were inactive on land. The starting point was information about the missing submarine. According to the scenario, the unit could have settled at the bottom somewhere at the tallness of the Hel Peninsula. In COM–DKM, the alleged MOR, a mass rescue operation team, gathered urgently. – It consists of specialists from various naval units. Their task is to draw up an action plan. The members of the MOR designate the area of exploration, check what forces they can use, safe the appropriate number of decompression chambers, according to Mr Jando. After investigating the procedures related to the assembly of the team, the participants of “Sarexa” practiced their cooperation with ISMERLO. It's an global organization supporting crew rescue operations for damaged submarines. After 1 of the states announces an alarm, the others declare how they could support them: whether they are able to send ships, helicopters, evacuation vehicles specified as the URF or NSRS. “In this case, we have besides focused on procedures that concern the inclusion of ISMERLO in our activities,” explained Mr Jando. Subsequent episodes have already taken place at sea.
The search for a submarine from the Gdynia port was undertaken by rescue units, among others ORP ‘Lech’ and ORP ‘Maćko’, OrP hydrographic vessel ‘Hewelius’ and H-1 tug. The Navy was supported by the SAR Marine Search and Rescue Service, which sent units of Storm and Bryza to the Baltic. “In the area where the accident most likely occurred, “Hewelius” searched the seabed. The crew utilized ship's sonars for this purpose. After tracking down the bottom of the ship, the ORP “Lech” entered the action. It was placed almost precisely above the sunk unit, and divers came down from its deck under water – explained Mr. Jando. In akin cases, they can supply assistance in a number of ways – even if they supply medicines, dressings, food, but besides let ventilation of the deck. This is done with air pressed from a rescue ship through the conduits that divers plug into the hull of a damaged unit. Thanks to specified actions, her crew has a chance to last until the evacuation vehicles are brought to the site. In utmost cases, however, divers can aid their members get to the surface independently. but this option is highly risky. besides early to appear from the deep could origin a decompression illness in the evacuated sailor and consequently lead to his death.
During this episode, divers had the chance to practice utilizing a trainer mimicking a fragment of the submarine's hull. Shortly before the exercise, it was embedded on the seabed.
Meanwhile, the rescue action close the Hel Peninsula was not the only one. While the “Lecha” crew was providing assistance to trapped sailors underwater, a search for a missing diver continued in the Gulf of Gdańsk. This time, the burden of the search of the bottom rested primarily on the crew of the hydrographic motorboat MH-2. Then the sailors from the ORP rescue vessel “Maćko” took over. This time, divers besides went under the water, who recovered the victim from a depth of 20 m. yet it went into the decompression chamber. And this time, the practice organizers took care of realism. The divers took on the bottom of a manlike phantom.
The last of the sea episodes takes place today. – We implement it in cooperation with Baltic Power, which builds a twelve-mile offshore wind farm north of Łeba – informs kmdr. Lt. Jando. The starting point is an accident involving a boat carrying workers. 2 people stay injured – their function was played by Marine Academy students. The injured must be helped rapidly – choice them up from the deck and transport them to land and then to the hospital. Here, key tasks will be assigned to the crew of the W3-WARM Anakonda rescue chopper from the Naval Aviation Brigade.
Kmdr Lt Jando emphasizes that ‘Sarex’ is of large importance to seafarers. There's quite a few traffic in the Baltic. All the more reason to take into account the risks of various types of accidents, but besides diversionary actions. To deal with the consequences of specified events, you gotta act quickly. And it's complicated adequate to require quite a few very different forces. So, to stay ready for different variants, you should train regularly – emphasizes the officer. In a akin speech is spoken by Lt. Anna Sech, press spokesperson for the 3rd Fleet Ships. “We have been taking part in the “Sarex” exercises cyclically since 2014. These types of maneuvers let us not only to accumulate valuable experience, but besides to improve procedures. And all to guarantee the highest level of safety in the Polish SAR work region – he concludes.
The “Sarex” exercises will last until Friday.
