Spanish and U.S. Navy mine countermeasures units participated in a bilateral exercise which took place in Cartagena, Spain.
Participating units included a U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal team (EOD) and a Spanish Navy mine countermeasures (MCM) diving unit.
The drills consisted of day and night mine hunting, demolition of underwater obstacles and disposal of floating mines. These exercises are part of the bilateral training activities jointly conducted by US Navy and Spanish Navy EOD teams.
The Mine Countermeasures Diving Unit (UBMCM in its Spanish initials) is tasked with mine clearing activities in those shallow waters where minehunters cannot operate. UBMCM’s divers have the exclusive responsibility within the Spanish maritime domain to render safe, neutralize, recover, remove or destroy mines.