The almost full Moon made a silver streak across the sea when the final part of DANEX 08 started this night. The ships gathered north of the Great Belt Bridge and began a dangerous trip to the north – heading towards the hijacked ship where four Danish sailors are still held as hostages.

The first challenge was a passage of a mine field but this task was not allowed to stand alone. Suddenly the ships received a distress call with request for assistance for a search and rescue operation at sea. A helicopter that was already airborne was dispatched but it turned out to be a trap! The helicopter was fired upon and hit and had to do an emergency landing on ESBERN SNARE. Later in the night the naval force was several times harassed by small fast boats and low flying planes.

All these exercise elements are very close to the reality that an international naval force can find itself in when it operates in an area where at least part of the local population opposes the presence of the force. Exactly this final part of DANEX 08 is therefore extremely good training for the crew of ESBERN SNARE which later this year will relieve the crew on the sister ship ABSALON that is part of Task Force 150 at the Horn of Africa.