Body and explosives retrieved from canal

Sussex Police Specialist Search Unit (SSU) and Royal Navy divers, based at HMS Excellent, Whale Island, conduct joint training exercise.

The body and the explosives might not have been real this time, but the sad reality is that such “rescue” operations do indeed occur. So it’s important that when these two units are called upon to work together, communications must be slick and instructions fully and immediately understood by each other. This exercise was to reinforce strong cooperative working between SSU and Royal Navy supervisors.

A scenario was created involving assorted materials dumped in the canal and the “offender”, with taped explosives, on the loose in the water. The test…. to retrieve all materials, make safe any explosives and retrieve the offender, dead or alive. Easy you might think…. but in sub zero temperatures and canal work boats and pontoons to negotiate, this was no easy task. You can see the scenario unfold in the photos.

Congratulations to both teams…. You do an absolutely amazing job!