Finishing with SAR operations

B2/6.5 Rescue activities

GLOSSARY:

Search pattern A pattern according to which vessels and/or aircraft may conduct a co‑ ordinated search (the IMOSAR offers seven search patterns)

A1/1.2 Search and Rescue communication

.1 SAR communications (specifying or supplementary to 1.1)

. 1 I require / MV... requires assistance.

. 2 I am / MV... proceeding to your assistance.

. 3 What is your MMSI number?

. 3.1 My MMSI number is …..

. 4 What is your position?

. 4.1 My position....

. 5 What is your present course and speed?

. 5.1 My present course... degrees, my speed... knots.

. 6 Report number of persons on board.

. 6.1 Number of persons on board:....

. 7 Report injured persons.

. 7.1 No person injured

. 7.2 Number of injured persons / casualties:....

. 8 Will you abandon vessel?

. 8.1 I will not abandon vessel.

. 8.2 I will abandon vessel at... UTC.

. 9 Is your EPIRB/SART transmitting?

. 9.1 Yes, my EPIRB/SART is transmitting.

. 9.2 Yes, my EPIRB/SART is transmitting by mistake.

.10 Did you transmit a DSC distress alert?

.10.1 Yes, I transmitted a DSC alert.

.10.2 Yes, I transmitted a DSC alert by mistake.

.11 How many lifeboats / liferafts (with how many persons) will you launch?

.11.1 I will launch... lifeboats / liferafts (with... persons).

.12 How many persons will stay on board?

.12.1 No person will stay on board.

.12.2... persons will stay on board.

.13 What is the weather situation in your position?

.13.1 Wind... (cardinal points) force Beaufort....

.13.2 Visibility good/moderate/poor.

.13.3 Smooth/moderate/rough/high sea / slight/moderate/heavy swell … (cardinal points).

.13.4 Current... knots, to … (cardinal points).

.14 Are there dangers to navigation?

.14.1 No dangers to navigation.

.14.2 Warning! Uncharted rocks / ice / abnormally low tides / mines /....

.2 Acknowledgement and / or relay of SAR messages

. 1 Received MAYDAY from MV... at UTC on VHF Channel.../ frequency....

. 2 Vessel in position...

~ on fire

~ had explosion.

~ flooded.

~ in collision (with..).

~ listing / in danger of capsizing.

~ sinking.

~ disabled and adrift.

~ abandoned /....

. 3 Vessel requires assistance.

. 4 Received your MAYDAY.

. 4.1 My position....

. 4.2 I / MV... will proceed to your assistance.

. 4.3 ETA at distress position within... hours / at... UTC.

.3 Performing / co‑ ordinating SAR operations

The questions are normally asked and advice given by the On-scene Co‑ ordinator (OSC).

For further information see IAMSAR Manual, London/Montreal, 1998.

. 1 I will act as On-scene Co‑ ordinator.

. 1.1 I will show following signals / lights:....

. 2 Can you proceed to distress position?

. 2.1 Yes, I can proceed to distress position.

. 2.2 No, I cannot proceed to distress position.

. 3 What is your ETA at distress position?

. 3.1 My ETA at distress position within... hours / at... UTC.

. 4 MAYDAY position is not correct.

. 4.1 Correct MAYDAY position is....

. 5 Vessels are advised to proceed to position... to start rescue.

. 6 Carry out search pattern... starting at... UTC.

. 7 Initial course... degrees, search speed... knots.

. 8 Carry out radar search.

. 9 MV... allocated track number....

.10 MV / MVs... adjust interval between vessels to...kilometres / nautical miles.

.11 Adjust track spacing to...kilometres / nautical miles.

.12 Search speed now... knots.

.13 Alter course

~ to... degrees (- at... UTC).

~ for next leg of track now / at... UTC.

.14 We resume search in position....

.15 Crew has abandoned vessel / MV....

.16 Keep sharp lookout for lifeboats / liferafts / persons in water /....