Maxi rescue exercise: the Italian Navy and the national emergency network united against disasters.
On October 26, in the port of Civitavecchia, a maxi-health emergency exercise included in the Open Sea 2026 program, the advanced exercise that the Italian Navy carries out every year to train its assets in a complete and realistic way throughout the spectrum of maritime operations and to increase their interoperability with other Armed Forces, State administrations and civilian agencies, ended on October 26 in the port of Civitavecchia.
The scenario simulated a multi-domain maritime operation in an initial context of crisis between two opposing parties. While crews and operational units of the Navy were training in the central Mediterranean, on the territory of one of the two nations, in a densely populated urban area, a mesocyclonic waterspout struck, a real marine tornado, which crossed the city to the neighboring hilly area. With roads unusable, land communications difficult and partially unusable health facilities and subjected to strong pressure due to the growing influx of wounded, the local Civil Protection therefore asked for the immediate support of the Department, with medical and logistical support.
The Naval Squadron of the Navy responded. Upon receiving the request, the maritime force already present in the area diverted Nave Atlante to Civitavecchia, equipped with a Role 2 hospital area with high diagnostic capabilities and two active operating rooms. The unit, as soon as it was moored, disembarked personnel and materials to set up an Advanced Medical Post (PMA) on the quay, by the Navy riflemen of the San Marco Marine Brigade, which quickly became the operational center for communications, triage and stabilization of the wounded, while on board the Nave Atlante the Role 2 ensured advanced health treatments.
The activity made it possible to test the efficiency of the rescue chain, triage protocols, emergency communications and coordination with the local hospital network of the National Health Service, through intense inter-force, inter-ministry and inter-agency coordination, with the involvement of Civil Protection, Ares 118, the Military Corps and Volunteer Nurses of the Italian Red Cross, the Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corps and the Port Authority. At the end of the exercise, which was carried out in the presence of numerous observers, authorities and guests, it was possible to see the consolidation of synergies between the actors involved in the various participating organizations, optimizing reaction times and the use of available logistical resources, in hostile and non-permissive scenarios, enhancing the dual use capabilities that the Italian Navy is able to offer, to bring aid and ensure effective, coordinated and timely interventions.
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