Escape over hedge, ditch and water

The water extraction carried out with the use of Zodiac Pro 850 Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) took place as the last stage of the escape phase, so the course participants had to overcome the Danube currents under the effects of dayslong sleep deprivation as well as reduced water and meal rations. The task was made more difficult through continuous uncertainty: during their training, they never knew what awaited them next, or when a given stage would end.

According to the scenario, the trainees encountered a water obstacle while escaping. After swimming approximately 100 meters, they got to an island where they prepared a signal of their situation for the Special Operations Forces (SOF) operators acting as the friendly forces. They received thermal space blankets against hypothermia in the boat arriving to extract them, and then were transported to safe ground.

“Having been able to conduct the first international training course is a huge achievement to us. We have received a lot of feedback from soldiers of other nations – from observers and participants alike, which we can incorporate into our training system in the future. We hope that the support and trust we have received so far will remain and our international training programs will continue” – emphasized Captain Attila Kordás.