Taiwan staged a large anti-terrorism and disaster-response drill at Taipei's port yesterday, simulating various kinds of terrorist attack, a radiation leak and contamination by poisonous chemicals.
Codenamed the 2011 Chinhua Exercise, it was the largest anti-terrorism and anti-disaster drill held in Taiwan, testing the capabilities of various military and government departments in countering criminals holding a bus load of passengers hostage, an attack on a fishing boat and dealing with a vessel carrying radioactive and other poisonous chemical materials.
More than 73 vehicles, 27 patrol boats, seven sea attack and rescue helicopters, and some 1,233 military personnel and government officials from Taiwan's navy, army, coastguard, criminal and harbour police and fire-fighting, environmental, transport and health departments took part in the drill.
Scenarios included an attack on a bus loaded with passengers and terrorist attacks on a fishing boat and a ship transporting chemicals. Armed with specially designed axes, members of a military police special force broke at the bus' windows, overpowered the hostage takers and freed the passengers.
Other special forces from the army, navy, coastguard and police also showed their capabilities in dealing with various kinds of terrorist attacks from the sea, including terrorists holding vessels hostage.
Specialists from the environmental and health departments were on hand to deal with a radiation leak and contamination by poisonous chemicals following the attacks.