The Technical Dive Team will be charged with searching underwater for evidence left behind by terrorists and will be able to conduct searches in waters contaminated by chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear waste.
"If you look at Mumbai and you look at various international incidents that occurred where there's attacks on American civilians or attacks on American interests where water has been involved...we determined that we really do need to expand our capabilities," said supervisory special agent James Tullbane, a Technical Dive Team member, pointing to the 2008 Mumbai, India, attack where terrorists traveled to the city by boat.
FBI created the Technical Dive Team last year to enhance its existing dive teams. The new, 10-member dive team will use a hose connected to a surface supply mechanism instead of using standard air tanks to better search contaminated waters.
"It not only provides the air, it collects the air that you exhale and brings it back to the surface," said Michael Tyms, the Technical Dive Team's program manager.
The team will also wear special dive suits and a steel helmet to prevent exposure to toxins in the water. The suits will also enable the divers to reach depths of 300 feet.
The team will become fully operational next year after completing a two-year training program.
FED AGENT.COM
