Located on the banks of the Gia River in Hai Phong, the Deep-Diving Training Center of Naval Brigade 126 is where Vietnam’s elite military divers are trained for combat and rescue missions at extreme depths and in the harshest environments.

The center, part of the Naval Special Forces Brigade 126, has a storied legacy dating back to the Vietnam War. Today, it continues its critical mission of training, readiness, and disaster rescue operations.

Lieutenant Colonel Khong Quoc Thang, Political Officer at the center, said the facility was established in 2019 to provide specialized training for diving forces across the entire naval command. Each trainee must complete demanding exercises in simulated environments, with varying pressure and temperature levels akin to real ocean conditions.

"During training, pressure levels are gradually increased to simulate ocean depth. Soldiers must live, eat, sleep, and train inside the diving chamber for several consecutive days," Lt. Col. Thang explained.

The center features an advanced automated diving system imported from abroad, including vertical and horizontal chambers, control systems, and surveillance cameras. After each dive, divers receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy to aid recovery. It is one of the most modern diver training facilities in Southeast Asia.

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Van Vinh, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of Brigade 126, emphasized that the facility simulates real underwater working conditions. Trainees learn to operate in low-light, high-pressure, and low-temperature environments.

"Our divers are now trained to international standards. The center cultivates both physical strength and resilience, preparing soldiers for combat or rescue missions under any circumstances," he said.

“There is no way to turn an ordinary person into a legendary figure like Yet Kieu without rigorous, systematic training - rooted in tradition, unit cohesion, and personal determination,” Lt. Col. Vinh added.

Brigade 126, formerly known as Waterborne Special Forces Unit 126, played a vital role during 1966–1973, conducting over 300 missions, sinking or damaging nearly 400 enemy vessels, destroying thousands of tons of weapons, and eliminating thousands of enemy personnel.

In peacetime, the unit continues to participate in major rescue operations, including the Phong Chau bridge collapse and, more recently, the capsizing of the Vinh Xanh 58 vessel in Quang Ninh.

The center also trains divers for other military and civilian units. All graduates are capable of handling real-world assignments upon completion of their training.

From 2021 to 2023, Naval Special Forces Brigade 126 was awarded the Ministry of Defense’s Flag for Excellence in Training for three consecutive years. From 2021 to 2024, the brigade received the Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Special Forces Training from the Commando Command. In 2020, it was honored with the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces for the third time by the President.

Beneath the surface, inside sealed pressure chambers, today’s “peacetime Yet Kieu” warriors continue their intense training, ready to respond to emergency calls at a moment’s notice. For them, the ocean floor is not the end, but the beginning of a relentless mission.

Hoang Ha - Thanh Hue