The eighth contingent of anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit that is slated to be dispatched to sea near Somalia on Aug. 12 to protect Korean people and their property demonstrated counter-piracy civilian-military-government joint maritime drill on July 27.
The joint exercise, in which personnel from the Ministries of National Defense and Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Naval Operational Command and commercial ship company participated, was arranged to enhance precautionary capabilities and rescue operations before and after ship was hijacked.
The drill that took place near Busan port was, in particular, a demonstration which the Navy Operational Command applied its comprehensive operations scenario based on past experience in countering pirates in waters off Somalia.
The exercise began with civilian commercial ship sending alert based on anti-piracy manuel after being hijacked by simulated pirates. Crew members of the ship reported its emergency status to the Cheonghae Unit and sheltered themselves in a citadel, an emergency evacuation shelter within the ship.
Officials of the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs immediately sent urgent signal to related government agencies. Cheonghae Unit sent SEAL commandos to the scene through a Lynx helicopter and a Rigid Inflatable Boat.
SEAL commandos got into the hijacked ship using climbing ladder and quelled the pirates.
Naval destroyer “Munmu the Great” prepared for its combat readiness and assisted a rescue operation with covering fire from snipers.
The drill ended with SEAL commandos suppressing pirates and rescuing crew members of the ship safely.
“We have fully prepared to protect Korean people and property from the pirates,” said a leader of the SEAL commando squad on condition of anonymity. “We will accomplish assigned missions perfectly under strong self-esteem that we are members of Cheonghae Unit.”