Navy's hospital ship heads out for rescue drills, medical aid in South China Sea

The Navy's 10,000-ton new ocean hospital ship set sail from a military port in the coastal city of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, heading for the islands and reefs in the South China Sea, on Wednesday.

Silk Road Ark will simultaneously carry out rescue drills for maritime casualties during its journey to the Chinese Yongxing Island, Dangan Islands and Yongshu Reef in South China Sea as scheduled.

In addition to offering medical diagnosis and treatment on board, medical workers from the ship will also visit local units and families to provide gastrointestinal endoscopy and related medical services and physical examinations to the island and reef residents and soldiers.

The hospital ship has a total of 14 clinical departments, mainly focused on orthopedics, general surgery, dermatology and gastroenterology.

In addition to medical workers, Silk Road Ark also has cultural offerings and a service team composed of legal experts on board to provide theatrical performances and promote legal knowledge.

Silk Road Ark is the second above-10,000-ton domestically designed and constructed ocean hospital ship. The first one is Peace Ark.

Silk Road Ark, which has been equipped with advanced comprehensive medical technologies and equipment, has strong comprehensive support capabilities.

In addition to medical rescue and evacuation of wounded at sea during wartime, the ocean hospital ship will also offer international humanitarian medical services and carry out emergency medical rescue for major disasters and international military medical exchanges and cooperation.