GULF OF ADEN, Oct. 28 -- The 42nd Chinese naval escort taskforce successfully completed its first escort mission under independent command in certain waters of the Gulf of Aden on October 25 local time.
The ship being escorted was vessel EMILYS, a crude oil tanker of Panama. At about 10 o'clock on October 23, it arrived at the rendezvous point as planned. Then, the Chinese PLA Navy guided missile frigate Rizhao in company with the vessel EMILYS marched in a single column formation to the designated sea area.
In order to ensure the navigation safety, frigate Rizhao applied an integration of radar, infrared observation, night scanning and other means to fully monitor the surrounding sea areas. The helicopter crew and special operations members stayed on duty to provide immediate response to emergencies at any time.
At 11 o'clock on October 25, the vessel EMILYS arrived at safe waters, and then departed from the frigate Rizhao. The escort mission lasted nearly 50 hours and covered a voyage of more than 590 nautical miles, winning high acclaim from the vessel EMILYS.