International diving exercise "Divex 25" taking place in Liepaja and Baltic Sea

RIGA - July 14 to 26, the annual Baltic Navy diving exercise "Divex 25" is taking place in Liepaja and the Baltic Sea, during which soldiers will improve their skills in searching for, identifying and destroying unexploded ordnance in the maritime environment, the Naval Forces' public relations officer Justine Tilika informed LETA.

The aim of the exercise is to develop units' skills to deal with historical explosive ordnance in a realistic environment - to search for and identify explosives and to ensure their safe recovery, relocation and neutralization. The main objective is to clear ports and shipping lanes of mines, making them safe for daily operation and navigation.

This year's exercise brings together diver and support teams from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Germany and the United States Armed Forces.

The exercise is part of Operation HODOPS, a joint Baltic effort to clear the Baltic Sea of explosive ordnance. The exercise was first held in 2014 and is organized annually by one of the Baltic countries on a rotational basis.