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Director General Coast Guard Vice Admiral Arun Kumar Singh has said that National Disaster Contingency plans are being reframed by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and once approved by the Government the same will be incorporated in the National Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) Plans. Inaugurating the 4th National Maritime SAR Board Meeting here today, Vice Admiral Singh said that in the year gone by Indian Coast Guard responded to 55 SAR missions involving 89 ships and 152 aircraft sorties. He said these missions led to the saving of 1111 lives.
The DG informed the meeting that the amendments to the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Resuce (IAMSAR) Manual have been endorsed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and it is likely to get adopted this year. He said these amendments include the addition of a new section on underwater SAR and a comprehensive new section on Mass Rescue Operations (MROs) defined as SAR services characterized by the need for immediate response to large numbers of persons in distress, taking into account that the capabilities normally available to SAR authorities are inadequate. Admiral Singh said that as India is a party to IMO and ICAO conventions we need to prepare ourselves in underwater SAR operations. Necessary committees will be set up this year so that National Maritime SAR system is adequately prepared to meet all the obligatory requirements, he added.
Vice Admiral Singh told the meeting that Coast Guard has planned to provide a capsule SAR training course to the members of the SAR Board. He said the details of this course will be announced shortly. Referring to the safety of small fishing vessels the DG requested the state governments to take pro-active measures for checking the fishing boards and sailing crafts that venture out into the sea.
The DG also gave away Indian Coast Guard SAR Awards on the occasion. The Award for the merchant vessel undertaking SAR operations in Indian SAR region was given to MT Kodaijisan. The award was received by Mr. Heryoichi Horie, Charge-de-Affairs of Embassy of Japan on behalf
of the Japanese shipping company. The ship had earlier saved 10 lives of MV Fresh Market on November 06, last year off Kochi. The ESSAR SAR award was jointly presented by Mr. AR Ramakrishnan, Chief Operating Officer, Essar Shipping to ICGS Varaha and CG Dornier Squadron 700 based at Kolkata for saving three lives onboard MV Genius Star VI on April 14, last year off Paradip.
The meeting dwelt upon the Maritime SAR related issues within Indian SAR Region. The post-tsunami havoc in the region was discussed and methodology evolved for prompt SAR response was deliberated with the SAR Board members.
The National Maritime SAR Board was constituted by the Ministry of Shipping in January 2002 to provide necessary mechanism to implement the National Maritime SAR System. The implementation is coordinated by the Coast Guard to fulfil many of its obligatory requirements as warranted by the conventions of IMO and ICAO on search and rescue. The last three SAR Board Meetings provided the necessary directions and impetus to implement many apparatus of SAR that includes National Maritime SAR Plan 2003, National Maritime SAR Manual, the ship reporting system INDSAR and toll free reporting through INMARSAT under Code 43 and toll free number 1718 to the rescue coordination centres along the coast.
SKS/ DM /HS
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