Army's bomb disposal divers train in Italy

A team of four army divers from the explosive ordnance disposal unit trained with Italian navy divers for seven days in Augusta earlier this month.

The training was organised in preparation for the Canale 2005 exercise to be held next month.

The team, who returned on Friday on board the Italian navy patrol craft Comandante Foscari, practised search techniques, underwater explosive ordnance disposal and underwater search and rescue.

The training allowed the Maltese divers to share knowledge and procedures and helped to build up a strong working relationship between the two explosive ordnance disposal teams.

The Canale exercise is an annual live exercise organised bilaterally between Malta and Italy.

Its aim is to promote cooperation, security and peace in the Mediterranean by conducting naval and air operations involving units from the Maltese and Italian Armed Forces and other invited nations from the Mediterranean.