Greenland Tests Joint Response to Disaster at Sea
Military crews, police and civilian rescue organisations have practised responding together to a maritime emergency in the waters around Greenland’s capital, Nuuk.
The TAPPIK exercise brought together Joint Arctic Command, Greenland Police, Aasiaat Radio and Air Greenland, according to an account published by the Danish armed forces on October 30.
Its final scenario involved a collision between a fishing vessel and a tourist boat. Participants had to locate a life raft and people in the water while treating simulated casualties aboard the damaged vessel.
The tourist boat was also taking on water, requiring crews to combine medical assistance with efforts to control flooding.
Military participation included the vessels Triton and Ejnar Mikkelsen, a Seahawk helicopter and a Challenger aircraft. Air Greenland contributed its rescue helicopter, while police operated ashore and at sea.
The exercise completed training for personnel coordinating rescue missions and directing operations at the scene.
Lieutenant Commander Michael Senger, responsible for the courses, said participants had to demonstrate their ability to allocate and prioritise resources under Greenland’s particular conditions.
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