The intervention on board a ferry of the Tirrenia company sailing towards Cagliari was simulated, on which previously an armed commando, evading the security checks, had boarded, taking possession of the command bridge and hostage the crew and passengers.
Upon receiving the news of the hijacking of the ship, the crisis room of the Ministry of the Interior alerted the central operational security unit of the state police, asking at the same time the military aeronautics and the port authorities to contribute to the police operation.
An operations room was immediately set up at the port of Civitavecchia with representatives of the NOCS, the operational protection unit of the air force and the harbor master's office, for the management of the crisis situation and the planning of the intervention and coordination of the forces. in the field. The resumption of control of the ship and the release of the hostages was carried out with the simultaneous boarding, with the ship in motion, of two operational teams of the NOCS: a first team disembarked on the stern of the ferry from an assault boat and the another was lowered with fast-rope descent mode directly on the deck of the command bridge from an HH-3F helicopter of the 15th Air Force wing.
The training activity highlighted the potential of the 'joint venture', enhancing the added value of the operational synergy between the state police, the military aeronautics and the harbor master's body to face a possible terrorist threat with a profitable integration of air, naval and land assets .
The intervention was also attended by two helicopters of the flight department of the state police with on board selected shooters of the NOCS with coverage tasks, naval units of the state police, one of which used as command center and mobile control of the operation in contact direct with the operations room and with all the assets involved, and with the corps of the harbor master's offices which guaranteed safety at sea during all phases of the operation.
The 85 ° Combat SAR Center (Search and Rescue) of Pratica di Mare, from which the helicopter that took part in the exercise came, is one of the air rescue centers of the air force, employed by the 15 ° flock of Cervia. It, like the other centers of Cervia, Brindisi, Gioia del Colle and Decimomannu, guarantees 24 hours on 24, for 365 days a year, the search and rescue of flight crews in difficulty, also contributing to activities of public utility such as the search for missing persons at sea or in the mountains, emergency medical transport of the sick in danger of life and the rescue of serious traumatized persons. From its establishment to today, the crews of the 15 ° flock have saved more than 7.000 people in danger of life.
Source: General Office for Communication - Public Information Office - Captain Stefano Testa
