The 25 participants who attended intensive training on the amphibious sealegs vessels  at Nukulau Island last Thursday will be issued with Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji licences for the operation of the vessels.

“25 members of our team of disaster management responders and practitioners from around the country completed an intensive training on the amphibious sealegs vessels on Nukulau Island,” said Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management media officer Penioni Kuinikoro.

Mr Kuinikoro said part of the training included disaster response and search and rescue drills along coastal waters.

“This will enhance practitioners’ ability to respond to disasters and complement search and rescue operations conducted by the Navy or Police,” he said.

The training was conducted by instructors from Maritime New Zealand and the New Zealand Coast Guard.

“The four sealegs vessels were donated to the National Disaster Management Office NDMO by the New Zealand High Commission and have become strategic assets of the NDMO,” Mr Kuinikoro said.

“The use of the amphibious vessels in Fiji is a pilot by the New Zealand government for the rest of the Pacific which costs around $290,690 (NZD$200,000).”