Improved Coordination of Maritime, Aeronautical and Land-Based Search and Rescue
The Representatives,
Concerned about the tragic loss of life in several vessel casualties in the Ross Sea and Southern Ocean in recent years;
Mindful that anticipated increases in human activity in the Antarctic have the potential to add substantially to the challenges and risks associated with Antarctic Search and Rescue (“SAR”) operations;
Conscious of the need to continue efforts to prevent incidents;
Recalling the commitment of Parties to the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue and the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation, Annex 12 - Search and Rescue to cooperate in the execution SAR missions and activities;
Desiring to increase the success and efficiency of SAR operations in the Antarctic;
Believing that discussions by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties of means to improve Antarctic SAR coordination could promote marine, aeronautical and land-based safety in Antarctica;
Recommend that the Parties:
1. convene a special working group to meet for one full day on the second day (currently scheduled for Thursday, 23 May 2013) of Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (“ATCM”) XXXVI to discuss means of improving Search and Rescue coordination in Antarctica, including, inter alia,
a) risk assessment and contingency planning;
b) international coordination of maritime, aeronautical and land-based SAR; and
c) best practices or other arrangements;
and to evaluate whether further work on this topic should be undertaken by the ATCM, and what the nature of that work would be;
2. include relevant experts on SAR in addition to national Antarctic program personnel in their delegations participating in the special working group; and
3. invite the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (“COMNAP”) to provide an update on actions resulting from the two COMNAP SAR workshops, “Towards Improved Search and Rescue Coordination and Response in the Antarctic” (Valparaiso, 2008 and Buenos Aires, 2009).
The Representatives,
Concerned about the tragic loss of life in several vessel casualties in the Ross Sea and Southern Ocean in recent years;
Mindful that anticipated increases in human activity in the Antarctic have the potential to add substantially to the challenges and risks associated with Antarctic Search and Rescue (“SAR”) operations;
Conscious of the need to continue efforts to prevent incidents;
Recalling the commitment of Parties to the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue and the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation, Annex 12 - Search and Rescue to cooperate in the execution SAR missions and activities;
Desiring to increase the success and efficiency of SAR operations in the Antarctic;
Believing that discussions by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties of means to improve Antarctic SAR coordination could promote marine, aeronautical and land-based safety in Antarctica;
Recommend that the Parties:
1. convene a special working group to meet for one full day on the second day (currently scheduled for Thursday, 23 May 2013) of Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (“ATCM”) XXXVI to discuss means of improving Search and Rescue coordination in Antarctica, including, inter alia,
a) risk assessment and contingency planning;
b) international coordination of maritime, aeronautical and land-based SAR; and
c) best practices or other arrangements;
and to evaluate whether further work on this topic should be undertaken by the ATCM, and what the nature of that work would be;
2. include relevant experts on SAR in addition to national Antarctic program personnel in their delegations participating in the special working group; and
3. invite the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (“COMNAP”) to provide an update on actions resulting from the two COMNAP SAR workshops, “Towards Improved Search and Rescue Coordination and Response in the Antarctic” (Valparaiso, 2008 and Buenos Aires, 2009).
