GULF OF ADEN, July 24 (ChinaMil) –The “Harbin” guided missile destroyer of the 14th escort taskforce under the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLAN) escorted the commercial ship “K Princess” of the World Food Program (WFP) to the northeast waters off Somalia on the evening of July 22, 2013, local time, smoothly wrapping up the special escort mission.
The escorted commercial ship “K Princess” of the WFP, loaded with 20,000-odd-ton assistance materials including sorghum, left the Port Sudan for Kenya’s Mombasa Port.
The “Harbin” ship waited at sea areas near the meeting place in southern Red Sea on the morning of July 17. After getting contact with the “K Princess”, it formed an escort taskforce with the “K Princess” and started the escort mission at 02:00 on July 19.
The taskforce sailed through the Farasan Islands, the Dahlak Archipelago, the Kamaran Island and the Mandeb Strait, entered the Gulf of Aden, and headed for northeast waters off the Cape Arcel, covering a total voyage of 860 nautical miles.
During the escort, the taskforce strictly implemented anti-piracy combat readiness deployment, and well organized and commanded according to the escort plan.
The “Harbin” ship sent ship-borne helicopter and combat boats successively on patrol duty, kept in touch with “K Princess” by maritime satellite telephone and e-mail, etc. and kept abreast of its move all the time.
On nights, more special operation members were sent on duty and sailors intensified observation with searchlight, so as to keep the escorted commercial ship and personnel safe.
Via: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/
