Coast Guards Complete Advanced Training in Israel

At least 11 members of the Liberian Coast Guards Unit have completed advanced marine training in Israel putting them on par with their international counterparts.

The training, which lasted for 11 weeks, began on February 27, 2011 following a vigorous training in various courses offered by the United States. The 11 officers are the first batch to be trained in Israel in post war Liberia.

During the training, the men did master diving, open water dive, stress and Rescue, Search and Recovery, under water Navigation, under water welding and deep dive (about 100ft in deep).

With the requisite equipment the officers are capable of saving crew/passengers in sinking or capsized ocean vessel; Save crew/passengers during emergencies in rivers and lakes; Save crew/passengers in the events of downed aircraft in an aqueous environment; Search and retrieval of bodies of drowning victims in the ocean, rivers, lakes, or swaps throughout the country as well as rescue victims during plane crash.

The Cost Guards can also train to remove wrecks, such as the ones at the various ports around the county and repair oil platforms. A senior member of the Armed Forces of Liberia told this paper that the 11-man team was considered as the elite in their category of training at the Israeli academy.

The men were taught to breath under water. Military sources say the equipment to be used by the Coast Guards are already on the way. Although the equipment are yet to arrive in the country the Coast Guards have started perform their functions.

On May 15, the men were called in for a rescues mission around 10th Street were a fishing vessel along the beach was said to have capsized. Just before that they sailed to Roberts Sports to access the tide in that part of the country.

“The men are ready to join as a contingent with international forces in the event of large scale rescue and salvage operation,” one military official said.