SAR & IAMSAR

Record the time of receipt and all information from the DSC alert — MMSI, nature of distress, position if transmitted. Call the Master. Do NOT acknowledge by DSC in normal circumstances — within coast-station coverage the DSC acknowledgement is the coast station/MRCC's job, and a ship's DSC acknowledgement can cancel the alert's automatic repetition. Shift to Ch 16, listen, and acknowledge by VOICE; a ship-to-ship DSC acknowledgement is a last resort, only when no coast station has responded after several minutes and distress traffic must proceed. Plot the distress position on the chart and calculate distance and ETA at best speed. Call MRCC on Ch 16 — report our vessel name, position, speed, and ETA to the distress position, and ask for instructions. Alter course toward the distress position and increase to best speed unless instructed otherwise by MRCC or unless rendering assistance would seriously endanger our vessel. Prepare rescue equipment — lifebuoys, throwing lines, scrambling nets, boarding ladders, medical kit, warm blankets. Maintain continuous watch on Ch 16 and DSC Ch 70.

OSC — On Scene Co-ordinator — means I am now responsible for coordinating the SAR operation at the scene on behalf of MRCC. My first priority is survivor recovery before anyone drowns or dies of hypothermia. Immediately: deploy our lifebuoys and throw lines to persons in the water. Position the vessel to create a lee — go upwind of survivors and drift toward them slowly, or come alongside if conditions allow. Brief crew — deploy scrambling nets and boarding ladders, assign personnel to pull survivors from the water, assign a medical team to begin assessment and warming on board. Maintain a continuous count of persons recovered and persons still in the water. Report continuously to MRCC. As more vessels arrive, designate search sectors and assign parallel track patterns for persons who may have drifted. Maintain the SAR log — times, positions, recoveries, decisions. Do not suspend the search until MRCC authorises. Continue until all persons are accounted for or MRCC orders suspension.

Call the Master immediately. Contact MRCC and the helicopter controller on the agreed frequency — report vessel name, position, course, speed, wind speed and direction, and nature of the medical emergency. Agree the approach heading with the pilot — the helicopter will approach into wind, so I may need to alter course. Clear the helicopter landing area or HLS (heli-hoist deck) of all loose equipment, lines, aerials, and obstructions. Set radar to standby as directed — a radiating scanner is a radiation hazard to the winchman and can interfere with the helicopter's systems. Brief the deck team: a fire party with extinguishers stationed at the landing area throughout the operation; medical team prepared to transfer the patient in a stretcher if required; all non-essential crew clear of the area. Rig a wind indicator — windsock or equivalent. Confirm the ship's details to the helicopter by radio as they approach. When the rescue wire is deployed, allow it to contact the deck first before anyone handles it — static discharge from the rotor can be fatal. Do not attach the wire to the vessel. Maintain steady course and speed throughout — no alterations without informing the pilot. Log the entire operation with times.