PLA Navy ambulance boats hold maritime search drill

A maritime emergency search, rescue and evacuation joint drill was unveiled in the waters of the East China Sea on October 20, 2012. Two medical ambulance boats of a combat-support ship flotilla under the East China Sea Fleet of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) rushed to the accident ship upon order and successfully laid aboard to transfer the two wounded onto the medical boats for emergency treatment.

For a long time, with the absence of a medical speedboat in the PLA Navy, traffic boat has been used as the alternative in maritime medical evacuation. The smooth launch of the first medical ambulance boat of the PLA Navy and its delivery to the flotilla enable the establishment of an integrated medical rescue mode of search, rescue and evacuation, and enable the flotilla to presume various situations in future battles at sea as well as study and stipulate 20-plus support schemes for emergency medical service and salvage of the men in water under complex situations through on-map deducing and onshore exercise.

During this maritime emergency search, rescue and evacuation joint drill, subjects including maritime surgeries and emergency treatments of the wounded and patients were exercised, enhancing the medical rescue capability of the medical ambulance boats at sea.