On Friday 21 April during their patrols at sea, Italian Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) divers, who are currently deployed on board Italian Navy frigate ITS Espero, carried out mine-countermeasures training.

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

EU NAVFOR warships have been committed, since December 2008, to ensuring 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.

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.