The event was attended by Lao Deputy Prime Minister General Chansamone Chanyalath. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang, while the Lao and Cambodian delegations were headed by Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense General Tea Seiha, respectively.
The theme of the exercise was search and rescue operations in response to natural disasters such as floods and landslides.
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General Chansamone Chanyalath and Ministers of Defense of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia at the event |
In the flood search and rescue scenario, the armed forces of the three countries carried out patrols and search missions in affected areas using boats and unmanned aerial vehicles. They practiced rescuing and assisting people trapped in houses, on trees, or isolated areas, as well as recovering and treating victims swept away by floodwaters. Emergency medical teams provided first aid before transferring the injured to field hospitals for further treatment.
In the landslide rescue scenario, once a report of a landslide was received, joint forces collected information and identified affected residents. They located and provided assistance to victims, provided medical support for the injured, and managed post-disaster procedures for casualties. Severely injured persons were airlifted to hospitals by helicopter for emergency care.
Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith, Deputy Minister of National Defense and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, said the joint exercise took place in the context of increasingly unpredictable climate change and more frequent natural disasters in recent years. He emphasized that Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia have a long-standing tradition of solidarity and friendship, and that defense cooperation among the three countries has always been a priority.
The joint search and rescue exercise, he noted, was of great significance in strengthening cooperation between the armed forces and providing an opportunity for them to share valuable experience in disaster response and humanitarian assistance.
Below are highlights of the exercise.
Reported by Thu Trang (Vientiane, Laos)
Translated by Tran Hoai