Chinese PLA Navy enhances underwater rescue capabilities through advanced diving training

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A squadron of highly-skilled divers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy brave challenging underwater environments to provide crucial support to submarines in daring rescue missions. 

Chinese navy divers serve as a crucial form of defense in some of the world’s most challenging deep-water environments, with missions ranging from search-and-rescue operations and submarine support to salvages. 

"Divers literally put our lives on the line, because no matter how skilled you are, you cannot defy nature's unpredictability. And our ethos is to risk our lives to save others," said Li Liang, a diver at a naval rescue detachment of the PLA.

With a tenure exceeding two decades, Li emphasized that their team has consistently strived to surpass boundaries, driven by a collective commitment to navigate increasingly complex waters.

Significant advancements have been achieved in saturation diving—a method facilitating extended operations at significant depths, albeit fraught with substantial challenges and risks.

"This set of equipment, independently developed by our country, fills a gap in deep-sea diving operations and significantly enhances our submarine support and rescue capabilities," said Yang Hefu, a soldier at a naval rescue detachment of the PLA.

At an interview, another diver named Chen Can recalled a mission in early April, involving a fishing boat collision off China's southwestern coast, where they successfully used saturation diving to rescue and recover at extreme depths for the first time. 

"Silence reigned. Visibility was zero. I was cautioned to move carefully to prevent triggering another collapse and getting buried. After the last body was recovered, I was instructed to wait until the all-clear due to sharks in the vicinity," said Chen.

Divers must undergo an extensive decompression process under rigorous medical supervision to ensure their safe ascent to the surface. Trust and teamwork are paramount, placing significant demands on these divers.

"As our People's Navy ventures deeper into the ocean, saturation diving is a growing trend to guarantee immediate support to our forces. Each mission presents new challenges, and it requires a calm mind, strong fortitude, and independent thinking. Nowadays, we also need to manage remotely operated vehicles to make our work safer and more efficient," said Li.

Behind every successful mission lies an unwavering commitment to their country and its people, as well as their loved ones. 

"My wife was especially worried as she's pregnant this year. So when I achieve good results, I want her to know first that my efforts have paid off and to feel proud that her husband is capable of achieving something great," Chen said.

Chinese PLA Navy enhances underwater rescue capabilities through advanced diving training

Floodwaters in Lithia, a severely affected area in the southeastern U.S. state of Florida by Hurricane Milton, have not receded yet even four days after the landfall of the hurricane.

Milton hit the west-central coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday night, bringing strong winds, destructive tornadoes, and heavy rains before weakening to a Category 1 as it swiftly barreled across central Florida.

Lithia, situated southwest of Tampa, bore the brunt of the hurricane as it was right in the the path of Milton.

The heavy rainfall triggered by Milton swelled local rivers, resulting in flooding and the submersion of numerous homes, with many areas in Lithia still drenching in floodwaters.

"Milton came through and wrecked it. The storm didn't do too much of the flooding after the fact. About 12 hours after the storm, the water was in my backyard, didn't think it was going to get much higher 36 hours after the storm. Way better than a lot of people behind me, hopefully they're okay behind. But yeah, I got my neighbors. I think they got probably four or five, maybe six feet of water in the house, that yellow house over there," said Vladimir, a resident affected by the floods in Lithia.

Vladimir also said that they have not received any government assistance so far, with only local community organizations offering some food and water to the affected residents.

In parts of western and central Florida, river levels may continue to rise, with multiple areas still under flood alerts.

Rescue agencies caution that the floods are likely to impede the progress of post-disaster relief efforts. By Sunday afternoon, over 840,000 households in Florida were still without power, with almost 30 percent of gas stations unable to provide fuel.

Milton is the fifth hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast so far in 2024, with three of them striking Florida.

Floodwaters linger in Florida's hard-hit area days after Hurricane Milton's landfall

Floodwaters linger in Florida's hard-hit area days after Hurricane Milton's landfall