Three Chinese escort ships sail for Gulf of Aden, Somali waters - People's Daily Online November 02, 2010
Special force soldiers bid farewell to relatives at a port in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 2, 2010. The 7th Chinese naval escort flotilla, consisting of frigate Zhoushan, frigate Xuzhou, comprehensive supply ship Qiandaohu, two shipborne helicopters and tens of special force soldiers, departed from Zhoushan on Tuesday for the escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to protect commercial ships from pirate attacks. (Xinhua/Fan Junwei)
Three Chinese naval ships left Zhoushan of east China's Zhejiang Province for the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to protect ships through the pirate-plagued waters.
This has been the seventh escort flotilla sent by the Chinese Navy, which is comprised of missile frigates "Zhoushan" and "Xuzhou," supplying ship "Qiandaohu" and two shipborne helicopters.
It has been the second time for "Zhoushan," "Xuzhou" and "Qiandaohu" to perform the escort mission.
On board are more than 780 crew members, including dozens of special weapons and tactics team (SWAT) sailors and 25 female crew members responsible for medical care, psychological counselling and telecommunications.
The Chinese Navy has successfully escorted 2,832 ships from China and other foreign countries since Dec. 26, 2008.