Ground crew are quick to secure the aircraft.

The Armed Forces of Malta yesterday practised landing a helicopter on a patrol boat.

Following initial classroom training of the flight and deck crews over the past few days, activities have now moved out to sea.

Yesterday morning, crews from the patrol boat and the AFM’s Air Wing practised landing an Alouette helicopter on the pitching deck of patrol boat P61.

The vessel, which was commissioned nine years ago, is the only patrol boat to have a helicopter deck but it has never been used by one.

The exercise was held in rough seas off the Grand Harbour, involving landing, lashing, a refuelling drill and take-off.

Some landings were also made in Marsamxett Harbour, while last week deck landings were held on the patrol boat while it was berthed in Marsaxlokk.

The project is three-phased. The first was co-financed by the 2011 National Programme of the European External Borders Fund, while the other two phases are completely funded by the government