Military divers from five countries to train in Eurasian Partnership MCM Dive 19 multinational exercise

More than 90 military divers from five NATO or Partnership for Peace (PfP) member countries will participate in the 10th edition of the Eurasian Partnership MCM Dive 19 taking place July 22 - 26 in Romania's Black Sea territorial waters, the Navy General Staff (SMFN) informs in a release. According to the cited source, the 10th edition of the multinational event is being held in Constanta and in the maritime districts near the Romanian Black Sea seaside, with the participation of 91 military combat divers from the Romanian, Azerbaijani, Bulgarian, Georgian and US navies. "For five days, the explosives ordnance disposal diver teams will practise operational search and identification procedures for marine explosive devices and will conduct open- and semi-closed circuit diving and surface-supplied diving exercises, as well as search operations for immersed targets, using underwater drones. The main goal of the exercise is the joint training of the forces, developing interoperability and improving knowledge in the fight against underwater threats. Workshops on diving safety, medical assistance for diving incidents, decompression and medical treatment planning, as well as underwater search for marine mines, underwater filming and photography, and neutralizing improvised underwater explosive devices will also be organised," the SMFN said in the release. The Romanian Navy is represented at the Eurasian Partnership MCM Dive by 58 divers from two EOD and one deep-water diving detachments, and nine watercraft; the high-sea drills will be conducted by the "Rear Admiral Horia Macelariu" class corvette, the "Lt. Lupu Dinescu" minesweeper, the "Captain Commander Alexandru Catuneanu" hydrographic survey vessel, the "Grozavul" sea rescue tugboat, the "Venus" fast divers boat and four RHIB speed boats. The Eurasian Partnership MCM Dive 19 exercise is the only annual multinational exercise organized in the western Black Sea basin aimed at reinforcing the training of military divers from NATO and PfP member countries; it takes place under the command of the Naval Operational Component, and the force group includes structures subordinated to the Fleet Command, the 39th Divers Center and the Maritime Hydrographic Directorate. AGERPRES (RO - author: Dan Mihaescu, editor: Irina Poenaru; EN - author: Simona Klodnischi, editor: Rodica State)