On Friday 13 April Italian Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) divers of Italian Navy Frigate ITS Margottini, carried out mine-countermeasures training.

This type of training is essential to ensure that ITS Margottini’s divers remain fully prepared to deal with any potential threat that may affect international shipping and delay essential cargo in a sea area of immense strategic importance.

As part of the training, the Italian divers put a floating ‘dummy’ mine into the sea and then carried out a controlled explosion. The successful training highlighted the dedication and professionalism of the Italian Navy EOD diving team.

ITS Margottini is currently deployed on counter-piracy operations as part of EU NAVFOR’s Op Atalanta. EU NAVFOR warships have been committed, since December 2008, to ensure the safety of World Food Programme humanitarian aid vessels delivering aid to the Somali people and the free movement of trade within the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden.