A new airport in Shanghai, specifically built for marine rescue, will also be put into use for the first time.

The airport, covering an area of 137,000 square meters, is complete with a runway 250 meters long and 30 meters wide, a landing zone, a control center and other support facilities for navigation, fuel, weather services and fire control.

An official with the Ministry of Communications said China was relatively backward in its capability and equipment compared with developed countries.

Also, he pointed out, marine rescue with helicopters calls for expert piloting skills, which can only be mastered through repeated practice.

It takes more than one year of training for aircrews to be able to carry out rescue operations in daytime under normal weather conditions.

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2003)