Amphibious boats to be used in operations soon as training courses commences

The four search and rescue boats donated to Fiji by the New Zealand government will soon be put to use after the inaugural Sealegs Operator and Maintenance training course today.

The $1.2 million amphibious boats which are designed to be driven on land as well, are part of the Sealegs program in the Pacific, for which Fiji is being piloted.

Speaking at opening of the training, Permanent Secretary for Rural and Maritime Development Meleti Bainimarama says boats like Sealegs are strategically designed and coveted assets around the world and they have a unique search and rescue capability to respond in humanitarian operations, policing, fire and rescue.

Bainimarama says at the completion of the course the four boats will be distributed to each of the divisions and the government will trial the boats to determine how best to use them in the future.

The two day course will be conducted by personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand.

33 participants from the Fiji Police Force, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, National Fire Authority and National Disaster Management and Emergency responders are part of the training course.