26 ships take part in international training in Latvian territorial waters

RIGA, May 9 - The international Naval Force training exercise "Open Spirit 2014" in the Latvian territorial waters begins today and will last until May 22; 26 ships from 13 countries will participate in the training, the Press Department of the Ministry of Defense informed LETA.

The annual exercise is held in one of the Baltic States each year, the task is to clear sea lanes and fishing areas of wartime mines. The international operation helps improve the cooperation and interoperability, tactics and procedures of headquarters, minelayers, diver bomb squads.

The training organized by the Latvian Naval Force flotilla will involve 26 ships, five diver teams and headquarters personnel from 13 countries, as well as two minelayer units - the Baltic minelayer squadron ("Baltron") and NATO's 1st countermine group. Military observers from Turkey and China will follow the course of training.

The ships will participate in the exercise in several groups.

May 12 to May 22 will mark the period when training will be the most active, taking place in Irbe Strait near the Gulf of Riga and at the shores near Liepaja, where a group of bomb disposal divers be trained. Before May 12 and after May 22 the ships will stay at Ventspils port.

Residents of Ventspils and guests of the city will be able to see 20 training ships on May 9 when they arrive in Ventspils, and during the Open Ship Day at Ventspils Promenade on May 10 and 11.

The previous "Open Spirit" training in Latvia took place in 2011, when more than 20 ships and 800 mariners from 11 countries participated in the training, locating and eliminating 45 underwater mines and two torpedoes in total. This year's training takes place in Latvia for the seventh time.
leta.lv

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