7.1 General
7.1.1 SAR services may be required to perform operations other than search and rescue, which, if not carried out, could result in a SAR incident, such as:
assisting a ship or aircraft which is in a serious situation and in danger of becoming a casualty, thereby endangering persons on board;
broadcasting of maritime safety information (MSI);
alerting appropriate authorities of unlawful acts being committed against an aircraft or ship; and assisting after the ship or aircraft has been abandoned, to minimize future hazards.
7.1.2 Even when a SAR service is not responsible in a given area, it may be called upon to assist other emergency response authorities. For those situations where the assistance of SAR services may be anticipated, suitable operating plans should be developed that include provisions for co-ordination with other authorities, as appropriate. However, in many cases, these requirements cannot be foreseen and SAR personnel may have to provide an appropriate response without any existing plan.
7.2 Intercept and Escort Services
7.2.1 The main purpose of intercept and escort services is to minimize delay in reaching the scene of distress and to eliminate a search for survivors. Escort service for both aircraft and vessels will normally be provided to the nearest adequate aerodrome or nearest safe haven for vessels (safe mooring and with a means of communications such as a telephone). Escorts can also often provide various types of assistance should the escorted craft be unable to arrive at a safe place under its own power. Procedures to develop intercepts are in Appendix J.
7.2.2 The following assistance can be provided by an escort:
moral support to the persons on board the distressed craft, assuring them that assistance is immediately available;
navigation and communication functions for the distressed craft, permitting its crew to concentrate on coping with the emergency;
inspection of the exterior of the distressed craft;
advice on procedures for aircraft ditching, including ditching heading, or for abandoning or beaching a vessel;
illumination during aircraft ditching or vessel abandonment, or assistance in the approach procedure at the destination;
immediate provision of emergency and survival equipment, if any, carried by the escort facility; and direction of rescue facilities to the distress scene.
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7.2.3 In an Uncertainty Phase, the SMC may alert SAR facilities capable of providing an escort facility. If the incident progresses to an Alert or Distress Phase, the SMC may then dispatch the escort facility immediately. Even when it appears too late for the intercepting facility to effect the intercept, it should be dispatched to begin the search.
7.2.4 An aircraft may be considered to need an escort when:
navigation or radio equipment is suspect;
it is unable to maintain altitude;
it has suffered structural damage;
it is on fire or fire is suspected;
the pilot’s control of the aircraft is impaired;
remaining fuel is suspected to be insufficient;
fewer than three out of four, or fewer than two out of three engines are operating normally; or it is threatened by any other grave and imminent danger.
7.2.5 A ship may be considered to need an escort when:
its stability is endangered (e.g., taking in water or cargo shifting);
it has suffered actual or suspected structural damage;
it is on fire or fire is suspected;
the master’s control of the vessel is impaired;
remaining fuel is suspected to be insufficient;
its steering gear is defective; or
it is threatened by any other grave and imminent danger.
7.2.6 The following information regarding the distressed craft should be given to the intercepting facility:
description, including call sign and other identification marks;
position at a specified time and type of navigation aids used;
heading and drift (or track);
speed over the ground or water;
if an aircraft, whether maintaining altitude, climbing, or descending;
number of persons at risk; and brief description of the emergency.
7.2.7 Accurate navigation by both the distressed craft and the intercepting facility is the most important factor when effecting an intercept.
7.2.8 When visual contact has been made, the intercepting aircraft will normally take up a position slightly above, behind and to the left of the distressed craft. Aircraft can escort ships.
7.2.9 A ship carrying out an interception should stand by the distressed craft until the danger is past, unless given instructions to the contrary.
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7.3 Safety Information
7.3.1 Maritime safety information (MSI), such as weather forecasts and warnings of hazards to navigation, is promulgated by SAR, meteorological, and navigation authorities. These authorities make arrangements for broadcast of MSI by means that may include NAVTEX, Inmarsat’s SafetyNET, and MF and HF radio.
Broadcast of MSI can serve to prevent SAR incidents from occurring. Similar safety information may be promulgated for aircraft and distributed as arranged by aeronautical authorities.
7.4 Unlawful Acts
7.4.1 The RCC may become aware of an aircraft known or believed to be subject to unlawful interference. ATS units would usually become aware of the situation first and would be responsible. The RCC should declare an Alert Phase, advise appropriate authorities (ATS units if not already aware, and response agencies specified in the plans of operation), and begin preparations for possible SAR operations as appropriate.
7.4.2 Special signals have been developed for use by ships under attack or threat of attack from pirates or armed robbers. ‘‘Piracy/armed robbery attack’’ is a category of distress message for all classes of digital selective call equipment and Inmarsat has added a piracy message to the Inmarsat-C menu for GMDSS. For their own safety, ships may have to covertly send out the ‘‘piracy/armed robbery attack’’ message. When the RCC becomes aware of such a situation, it should declare the Alert Phase, advise appropriate response agencies as specified in the plans of operation, and begin preparations for possible SAR operations as appropriate. If the ship covertly sends a message, care must be used in any communications sent back to the ship so as not to warn the pirates.
7.5 Search and Rescue Outside of RCC Responsible Areas
7.5.1 SAR services may be called upon for assistance by other emergency services in areas that are not in their normal area of responsibility. Examples of these situations include:
SAR in estuaries, rivers, lakes, harbours, and flooded areas;
rescue of injured personnel from inaccessible or remote land areas or areas accessible by water but not accessible by land, such as seaside cliffs;
major incidents where there are large numbers of casualties; and
medical evacuation when primary services are unable to perform the mission, such as by ship from a small coastal island when weather prohibits the evacuation by aircraft.
7.5.2 In certain exceptional situations, evacuation by sea may be the only way to save persons on land from an imminent danger that has trapped them on the coast or small island. Forest fires, volcanic eruptions, and industrial accidents causing the discharge of hazardous materials are examples of such situations. When these types of situations occur, SAR services may be the only emergency organization capable of performing the evacuation. In most of these cases, harbour installations would probably not be available and hazardous conditions would most likely prevent the use of aircraft or helicopters.
7.6 Assistance to Property
7.6.1 The primary concern of SAR operations is assistance to persons in distress. However, chapter 5 of the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual on Organization and Management points out some factors and reasons for consideration of saving property. Variations of the terms ‘‘saving’’
and ‘‘salving’’ are commonly used internationally regarding removal of property from risk. Commercial salvage companies may become involved during or after SAR operations. SAR personnel on-scene are usually in the best position to assess what actions are necessary to minimize future hazards such as pollution from cargo or fuel spills and ships becoming hazards to navigation. Action such as towing or temporary repairs by the SAR facility may be able to prevent more complicated problems later. However, 7--3
SAR facilities typically are not experts in salvage operations, so the SMC must consider their capabilities and the risks to them. Judgements about the stability of a damaged vessel, or whether freeing a grounded vessel will improve or worsen the situation, can be very difficult to make.
7.6.2 When a salvage vessel is at the scene of the distress or en route to it, the SRU involved should verify whether the salvage vessel is prepared to effect salvage, and whether this assistance is acceptable to the distressed craft. If not, the SRU should render assistance as necessary to ensure the safety of life.
7.7 Aerodrome Emergency Plan
7.7.1 Annex 14 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation provides for an Aerodrome Emergency Plan.
This Plan is maintained to minimize the number of personal injuries and the extent of property damage resulting from an emergency. These Plans focus on emergency services and resources available to aerodrome and local emergency service organizations. Co-operation and co-ordination between the aerodrome operators and the RCC should be promoted for the provision of mutual assistance.
7.7.2 Aerodromes should make provisions with local SAR service providers for water rescue, as appropriate, and mass casualties near aerodromes. The plan should be tested to improve effectiveness. Testing may be by joint exercises conducted so that:
aerodrome operators understand the SAR service organization, capabilities, and limitations; and SAR facilities become familiar with the aerodrome layout, support facilities, and access points.
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