Training and demonstration of differential resources of the Navies of eight countries of the hemisphere, take place in the first multinational humanitarian assistance exercise in the Colombian Caribbean. Flags from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, the United States, Mexico, Panama and Peru waved over the waters of the department of Sucre.
From July 8 to 10, more than 2,000 men and women from eight countries participated in disaster response exercises in the waters of the Gulf of Morrosquillo, with the purpose of strengthening interoperability and acting as a Task Force for timely and immediate response to major disasters in the Colombian Caribbean.
To materialize this strategic exercise focused on coastal areas, the Colombian Navy, in coordination with representatives of the participating countries' navies, for a period of more than six months have conducted international meetings and encounters that led the coordination of efforts and formation of highly trained crews in search and rescue maneuvers in surface and underwater environments as well as on land, through rescue in collapsed structures and control of emergencies caused by hazardous materials, damages that commonly occur during emergencies caused by natural disasters, mainly.
In this way, the simulation of an emergency caused by the hurricane named Willy that would raise its level to category five in the municipality of Coveñas will be carried out, starting the deployment by land, sea and air of units of the eight countries as an immediate response to safeguard the lives of hypothetical victims, through RAMPAC type air operations, used for the extraction of victims from land and sea, as well as the search and rescue, removal of debris and control of materials and substances that endanger the good physical condition and life of the inhabitants of the region.
Within the exercises, the fuel containment maneuver will be carried out in coordination with Ocensa personnel, a strategic fuel transportation company in Colombia, a reliable operator recognized for safe and efficient standards. Exercise that leads to make visible the synchronicity, coordination and prompt reaction of the units of the Diving and Rescue Department of the Colombian Navy in a coordinated manner with the civil institution.
In order to react effectively to the emergency, more than 2,000 men and women of the Diving and Rescue, Naval Aviation, Surface Flotilla, Coast Guard Corps and USAR Light Equipment departments of the Risk Management and Disaster Response Company of the Colombian Navy, as well as Search and Rescue teams of the countries of Mexico and Peru, among others, were available. At the scene of the exercise twelve ships, two Colombian Coast Guard Fast Reaction boats and seven search and rescue groups (USAR), as well as air units in operation and support, were used for the assistance in case of a simulated natural emergency.
Within the logistics deployment of the Colombian Navy, the participation of the ship ARC Victoria and the Amphibious Landing Ship ARC Golfo de Morrosquillo and Golfo de Urabá stands out, as well as the helicopter Unit and aircraft, in perfect interaction with Defender-type boats of the Coast Guard Corps. The ships BAP Pisco, BAP Defensora, BAE Hualcopo, BAE Manbí, BAP Aguirre, Tabasco, Omar Torrijos and Amador Guerrero and New York are in the same way integrated in this international operation.
CONTEXT OF SOLIDAREX EXERCISES:
This operation was born in 2019 in order to increase the level of interoperability and generate synergy, strengthening International Cooperation, ties of partnership and mutual trust of the Navies of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, acting together as a Multinational Task Force of first response to natural disasters of great magnitude in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
SOLIDAREX 2019
It was carried out in three phases, starting on October 16 in the district of Colán – Piura (Peru), continuing with the Second Phase of the exercise in Jaramijó - Ecuador and ending the Third and last Phase in the village of Juanchaco - Bahía Málaga (Colombia). It in the same way, counted on the participation of the Navies of the United States, Mexico and Panama.
SOLIDAREX II 2021
It had the participation of the navies of Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. It, in the same way, took place in three phases on October 7 and 24, 2021. Starting at the Conchitas beach in Ancón - Peru, later at the Murciélago beach in Manta - Ecuador and ending the phase of the exercise at the Juanchaco beach in Bahía Málaga - Colombia. Crews, as well as naval and aeronautical resources of the participating countries, tested their response capacity, in the simulation of natural catastrophe environments, coordinating efforts under a Multinational Task Force with the aim of providing humanitarian assistance.
SOLIDAREX 2023
The third and nowadays edition will be held for the first time in the Colombian Caribbean on the coasts of the municipality of Coveñas – Sucre (Colombia) from July 8 to 10, 2023 within the framework of the Naval Bicentenary of the Colombian Navy, being a demonstration of synergy, exchange of Resources and cooperation for the benefit of the inhabitants of the region hit by emergencies and natural disasters. Under the motto We Protect Life the Colombian Navy will continue to project its Resources at the service of Security and Defense in the region.
Source: Presse-Navy of Colombia
