The City of Cape Town will set up a fake cruise ship accident next week as a disaster exercise.
|||Cape Town - The City of Cape Town will set up a fake cruise ship accident next week as a disaster exercise, the city's disaster risk management centre said on Friday.
“The exercise will test the preparedness and ability of the authorities and related agencies to respond to an incident involving an international cruise ship running aground,” said spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.
The simulation would be between Mouille Point and Cape Town stadium, between 7am and 1pm on Tuesday.
According to the plan, code-named “Beachy”, the SAS Spioenkop, a frigate on loan from the SA Navy, would act as a cruise liner carrying 106 passengers and crew, on a voyage around the coastline of South Africa to Durban.
The “accident” would take place off-shore of the Mouille Point Lighthouse, and a verification and mass-care centre would be established at the Cape Town Stadium to assist “survivors”.
“Residents living in the vicinity are alerted that the exercise will involve a large contingent of armed forces, law enforcement agencies and emergency and disaster management personnel,” said Solomons-Johannes.
Armed forces will be commanded by the SA National Defence Force and will include the Navy, SA Air Force (SAAF) and the SA Army. - Sapa
