A multinational Search and Rescue exercise is set to begin

A multinational Search and Rescue exercise in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus is set to begin.

NEMESIS 2015 is taking place with the participation of SAR Units and personnel from Cyprus, Israel, Greece, and the United States.

Naval and air SAR Units from the participating nations will take part the exercise under the operational control and full coordination of the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Larnaca.

The main objective of the aeronautical exercise is to promote readiness for effective response in SAR missions and other humanitarian operations in the region.

The exercise scenario, which is divided in four phases, deals with a serious accident in open sea, within an area where Oil and Gas Rigs are operating along with their Supporting Vessels.

In particular, training exercises will focus on MEDEVAC and SAR operations, confronting of maritime pollution, asymmetric threats and associated security issues that might arise either on cargo or passenger ships and/or platforms, in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The JRCC and the involved state agencies immediately implement the relevant national plans, in order to confront the incident. In parallel and due to the severity of the incident, the intergovernmental SAR agreements with neighboring and friendly states (Greece, Israel and the USA) are activated