14th Chinese naval escort taskforce in drill to rescue hijacked ship

（People's Daily Online）  08:03, March 14, 2013  

The 14th escort taskforce of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) participated in an anti-hijack exercise on the March 10, 2013, local time, while sailing in the Arabian Sea area on the voyage to the Gulf of Aden.

In the exercise, the Weishan Lake comprehensive supply ship acted as the "hijacked" merchant ship. The taskforce command post immediately sent the Harbin guided missile destroyer to rescue the "hijacked" merchant ship after receiving the report.

At 9:15 p.m., Harbin ship approached the "hijacked" merchant Ship, and the taskforce command post immediately ordered the ship-based helicopter with a special operation member and a camera man aboard to carry out reconnaissance.

Ten minutes later, the helicopter group reported that a pirate ship with four pirates was near the merchant ship. The Harbin ship quickly adjusted the course and speed; the naval air force, naval special operation forces and the escort fleet command group cooperate with each other to send the special operation members to the "hijacked" merchant ship through small ships and helicopter, and launched a rescue operation.

Deputy commander of the 14th escort taskforce Liu Boyuan says the anti-hijack exercise effectively improved the escort taskforce's ability to perform escort.