MARMARIS - Reliant Mermaid-VI in which Turkish, Israeli and U.S. forces take part started on Wednesday in the international waters of East Mediterranean.
Commodore Captain Sems Altug told A.A correspondent the same day that the target of the manoeuvre was to try the methods of search-rescue for humanitarian aid and to ensure the coordination between naval and air forces to this end.
Commodore Aktug said that the exercise was important for the naval forces of Turkey, Israel and the U.S. for them to know each others' capacities and capabilities.
Turkey participated in the exercise with two frigates, two coast guard boats, two helicopters and one search and rescue aircraft, while a total of four vessels, five helicopters and two search and rescue aircraft joined the exercise from the United States and Israel, he said.
''This exercise is held for the purpose of humanitarian aid. In case of a possible accident in the international waters of the Mediterranean, we try to bring a faster and more effective humanitarian aid without making a distinction between military officials/civilians,'' he said.
The ships which left Aksaz Naval Base Command in the morning successfully exercised the rescue scenarios in the international waters off the south coasts of Turkey.
According to the scenario, the places of two boats who asked for help as they had accidents were determined by aircraft. The military units both rescued the persons who fell into the sea as the first boat was about to sink and they also put out the fire which broke out in the second boat and rescued the crew.
Officials said that the search and rescue exercise would also continue tonight and that the ship would return to Aksaz Naval Base around 9.00 a.m. on Thursday morning.
Many military officials from Egypt, Israel, the U.S. and Jordan monitor the exercise.
(Öª-AÖ) 13.08.2003