The ferry disaster: the Dutch contribution
13 divers, a mine countermeasures vessel, a nurse and 2 Lynx helicopters of the Royal Netherlands Navy were involved in rescue operations.
The mine countermeasures vessel HNLMS Middelburg was in the area for a training exercise when the ferry disaster occurred. It therefore did not take long for the vessel to reach the location, where it served as a platform for rescue operations.
Navy divers rescue 3 survivors
Royal Netherlands Navy divers were alerted by the Koksijde rescue centre in Belgium. They were transported from Den Helder and Vlissingen to the scene of the emergency by Lynx helicopters. The divers spent 8 hours looking for survivors and ultimately saved 3.