A joint emergency response exercise was conducted in waters of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao (HKZM) Bridge, the world's largest sea-crossing bridge, in south China on Saturday to mark the country's 33rd National Fire Prevention Day.
It was the first time for search and rescue forces from south China's Guangdong Province, Hong Kong, and Macao to jointly hold an emergency response exercise in the waters of the bridge since it opened six years ago. The exercise simulated a collision between a passenger ship and an oil tanker in the waters of the HKZM Bridge. The collision damaged the bow of the passenger ship, causing passengers to fall into water and igniting a fire on the oil tanker. >>The tanker then lost control and collided with the protective steel box of the bridge, posing a threat to the bridge's main body.
The search and rescue forces from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao activated the emergency response mechanism and began rescue operation involving sea, land, and air resources to save people who fell into water. The fire on the oil ship was extinguished thanks to emergency response efforts and was towed to a safe area. After safety of the bridge's piers and deck could be secured, the traffic resumed and the excise ended.
"The joint exercise is practical for the research and rescue cooperation mechanism in the waters of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge. It deepens the emergency coordination in the Greater Bay Area, tests the emergency rescue and protection capacity in the waters of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge, and established bridge-sea emergency coordination in the waters of the bridge," said Huang Yulong, an official from the local maritime safety administration.
First joint emergency response exercise held in waters of world's largest sea-crossing bridge
