Royal Australian Navy sailors aboard the minehunter HMAS Huon honed their deep-diving skills during a recent visit to Lord Howe Island, in the Tasman Sea.
Huon’s commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Jason Mullen said the 10-day deployment had been an invaluable training opportunity for the crew.
“Especially the mine warfare and clearance diving departments, achieving some great results in challenging surface conditions,” Lieutenant Commander Mullen said.
The crew’s primary mission was to work up the clearance diving team on board to a maximum depth of 60 meters. This highly technical dive is one of the most dangerous activities the divers participate in and is taken very seriously by all involved.
Working with members of the Mine Warfare and Clearance Dive Group and HMAS Diamantina, Huon sailors dove to 20, 30, 42, and 60 meters. The capability that it provides to Navy was demonstrated in the United States MV22 Osprey recovery operation conducted by Australian Clearance Dive Team – One off the coast of Gladstone in August.
The team also conducted demolition serials and executed procedures for the location and disposal of a tethered buoyant mine.