HAIKOU, December 25./ TASS/. Hainan's emergency services conducted drills in the Qiongzhou Strait bracing for an influx of tourists. Deputy head of the Hainan Emergency Management Department Wu Pingsheng said at a briefing that in addition to rescuers and coastguards, the authorities used the resources of companies involved in transporting passengers in the surrounding area.
“The island’s administration organized this large-scale event in order to develop measures of responding to emergency situations at sea before the upcoming New Year holidays and expected increase in ferry traffic between the island and mainland China,” he said. “All drills participants are responsible for the safety of ferry passengers in the Qiongzhou Strait <...> We hope that we will be able to catch all the [potential] problems and solve them in due time, as well as improve skills in conducting rescue operations at sea."
According to Wu Pingsheng, 800 people, 23 vessels, a helicopter and ambulances took part in the exercises on December 24. He recalled that maneuvers were extremely important, since about 15 million people use the crossing annually.
As the deputy head of the department explained, according to the drills scenario, the Haitian ferry with 230 people on board collided with the Fenjin cargo ship, the collision was followed by a fire. The drills participants needed to save the victims and provide them with urgent medical assistance as soon as possible. As a result, the task was successfully completed.
“These are the largest large-scale exercises that have ever been held in the Qiongzhou Strait,” said the organizers of the event.
Ferry is the only means of transport across the Qiongzhou Strait, which is 20-40 km wide and 120 meters deep.