Search and rescue drill held along Yangtze River

A joint search and rescue exercise along the Yangtze River is expected to be held on Friday in the port city of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, the Ministry of Transport announced on Wednesday.

Organized by the Ministry of Transport and the Chongqing municipal government, the drill is aimed at testing and demonstrating the country's emergency response progress and capabilities along the Yangtze, Zhuo Li, deputy director of the Maritime Search and Rescue Center under the ministry, said at a news conference.

Involving 30 departments including armed police, public security and medical services, the 90-minute exercise will involve the rescue of passengers in a boat collision, extinguishing a fire and clearing an oil leak as a result of the collision.

It will also include the search and salvage of two containers and the removal of explosives, as well as the evacuation of passengers and boats to a safe site.

More than 300 people and 32 boats will participate in the exercise, said Xu Kaijin, deputy- director level inspector of Yangtze River Administration of Navigational Affairs under the ministry.

The exercise will also witness the use of advanced rescue equipment, including underwater robots taking part in the search and rescue, two drones helping to drop life buoys to help put out the fire, and the country's most advanced rescue boats, he said.

Du Kun, deputy-director level inspector of Chongqing Municipal Commission of Transport, said the reason the exercise will be held in Chongqing is because it features complicated navigation conditions. The joint exercise will greatly improve the emergency response to various emergencies along the Yangtze River, and help establish a comprehensive inland river search and rescue system.