SANYA, March 19 (ChinaMil) -- The 27th Chinese naval escort taskforce consisting of the guided-missile destroyer Haikou, the guided-missile frigate Yueyang and the comprehensive supply ship Qinghaihu has returned to China after completing merchant ships escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia and a port visits to three north African nations.
The three warships arrived at a naval port in Sanya city, south China's island province of Hainan on the morning of March. 18.
The 27th Chinese naval escort taskforce took over the merchant ships escort mission from the 26th Chinese naval escort taskforce on August 23, 2017. In the four-month-long mission period, the taskforce provided escort for 54 merchant ships from China and other countries in 36 batches, rescued five merchant ships chased by pirate boats and expelled a total of 42 suspected pirate boats in 13 escort tasks, ensuring absolute safety for all protected ships, personnel and the taskforce itself.
After completing mission handover with the 28th Chinese naval escort taskforce, the three warships left the Gulf of Aden on December 26, 2017 to embark on their voyage of port visit to Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
