The US Coast Guard cutter Dallas called at Grand Harbour last week following a search and rescue training exercise in Maltese territorial waters carried out with the Armed Forces of Malta.
The exercise involved the AFM's Search and Rescue Training Centre, which was founded together with the US to maintain a high level of preparedness and to ensure that pilots and sailors are capable of operating to the highest standards while coordinating with other organisations.
The US Coast Guard is recognised worldwide as the leader in the field of search and rescue.
The cutter's call coincided with a training exercise that students were to coordinate following their graduation from the training centre earlier this week. The graduates included 12 local men and eight foreign men and women.
Boarding the cutter from a fast search and rescue launch, the drenched graduates helped themselves to a light breakfast and briefed Brigadier Carmel Vassallo, Commander of the AFM, and Captain Robert Wagner, Commanding Officer of the Cutter.
Together with the Air Wing and Maritime Squadron, the graduates simulated the search for and rescue of a man in distress featuring two helicopters - an twin-engine Agusta Bell and an Alouette - an Islander twin-engine fixed wing aircraft and a Protector Class patrol boat.
Captain Wagner said with a smile that the training exercise brought back memories of when he was a search and rescue student. He said he was impressed with how the graduates coordinated the drill but shared his expertise with them nevertheless.
In the perfect search and rescue conditions that morning, Captain Wagner explained to the graduates that what they can't see is as important as what they can. This indicates whether a search is taking place in the right area or not.
Brigadier Vassallo thanked the United States and its Coast Guard for their contribution and explained that the training exercise promotes the cooperation of search and rescue agencies in the Mediterranean region.
Among the graduates were also two Libyans, one being the head of the country's search and rescue centre. "But I hope these will not be the last," said Libyan Ambassador Saad El Shlmani, also on board the cutter.
Commenting on the dispute with Malta on illegal immigration, Dr Shlmani said the two countries were discussing a search and rescue memorandum of understanding that included the issue. He however emphasised the importance of cooperation.
The cutter, as the Coast Guard calls its ships, has been named after politician Alexander J.
Dallas and flaunts its success in maritime drug interdiction. It's the bread and butter of the cutter's missions, reads a mission statement on her website.
One of the cutter's gunners said that the ship has fought in Vietnam, firing over 14,000 shells. The cutter's procedure is to arm herself while entering port and although the gunner didn't know what the European Union is, he said he could take the gun apart and assemble it again.
The cutter has participated in countless search and rescue operations, one of the most notable cases being a space shuttle disaster. But based on her operational capabilities she is often called upon to take charge of high profile cases.
Search and rescue is the Coast Guard's traditional mission, responding with multi-mission stations, cutters, aircraft and boats linked to a communications network.
kbugeja@timesofmalta.com