Helicopters Otago pilot Roger Cochran sprays water into the sea off Brighton during an oil spill response training exercise yesterday.
Helicopters Otago was one of the operators selected from across the country by Maritime NZ to undertake training in case they are called on to respond to a spill.
Maritime NZ spokesman Steve Rendle said Dunedin was the eighth town or city where its pollution response service team had worked for training purposes so far this year.
Chemical dispersants which removed oil from the sea surface by breaking oil slicks into small droplets would be used in an actual event, Mr Rendle said.
Yesterday’s exercise, using water, was a chance to test Helicopters Otago’s ability to quickly and effectively respond to an alert, he said.
Helicopters Otago owner and pilot Graeme Gale said the company was given a location on GIS (geographic information system) and had to find it using the helicopter’s tracking system.
It then had to spray water on the areas, he said. A second helicopter, carrying another Helicopters Otago pilot and a Maritime NZ representative, observed the operation.
