Norwegian and Russian Emergency Services are planning a joint search and rescue and pollution clean-up exercise on 9th June in the outer parts of the Varanger Fjord on the border between Norway and Russia.

The rescue coordination center (RCC) in Bodø has planned this year’s exercises together with the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The scenario for this year’s exercise is that the Varanger Fjord is hit by an acute case of pollution. When the emergency services are engaged in the cleanup work, efforts have to be put into search and rescue operations, Head of Rescue operations at Bodø RCC Frode Iversen told a national paper.

These joint exercises are an annual event, along with regular joint Barents Exercises including Russia, Norway, Finland and Sweden.