French navy vessels in CT
2004-01-06 19:41
Cape Town - Two French vessels on their way from Luanda in Angola will pay an informal visit to Cape Town from January 9 to 14, as part of their naval training.
The FNS Jeanne D'Arc and FNS Georges Leygues form part of the French Training Squadron for Naval Officers, the SA Navy said in a statement on Tuesday.
The main mission of the squadron is to complete practical training at sea in order to supplement the theoretical training given to junior officers on land. The squadron has various foreign students on board and a few junior officers of the SA Navy have also sailed with them in the past.
The Jeanne D'Arc is a cruiser helicopter carrier and is 182 metres in length, with a displacement of 10 575 tons. The ship's commanding officer is Captain Marc De Briancon and he has a crew of 695.
The Jeanne D'Arc is accompanied by the destroyer Georges Leygues, 139 metres in length with a displacement of 3 550 tons, commanded by Commander Vincent Liot de Nortbecourt with 185 crew.
The ships will berth at Jetty 2 in the Victoria and Alfred basin and will be alongside at 09:00 on Friday.
- SAPA