What do you know abt sar conv. ? srr overlaps what happens to these areas ?

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SAR Convention

Adoption: 27 April 1979
Entry into force: 22 June 1985
 
The 1979 Convention, adopted at a Conference in Hamburg, was aimed at developing an international SAR plan, so that, no matter where an accident occurs, the rescue of persons in distress at sea will be co-ordinated by a SAR organization and, when necessary, by co-operation between neighbouring SAR organizations.

Although the obligation of ships to go to the assistance of vessels in distress was enshrined both in tradition and in international treaties (such as the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974), there was, until the adoption of the SAR Convention, no international system covering search and rescue operations. In some areas there was a well-established organization able to provide assistance promptly and efficiently, in others there was nothing at all.

The technical requirements of the SAR Convention are contained in an Annex, which was divided into five Chapters. Parties to the Convention are required to ensure that arrangements are made for the provision of adequate SAR services in their coastal waters.

Parties are encouraged to enter into SAR agreements with neighbouring States involving the establishment of SAR regions, the pooling of facilities, establishment of common procedures, training and liaison visits. The Convention states that Parties should take measures to expedite entry into its territorial waters of rescue units from other Parties.

The Convention then goes on to establish preparatory measures which should be taken, including the establishment of rescue co-ordination centres and subcentres. It outlines operating procedures to be followed in the event of emergencies or alerts and during SAR operations. This includes the designation of an on-scene commander and his duties.

Parties to the Convention are required to establish ship reporting systems, under which ships report their position to a coast radio station. This enables the interval between the loss of contact with a vessel and the initiation of search operations to be reduced. It also helps to permit the rapid determination of vessels which may be called upon to provide assistance including medical help when required.

 
 
IMO search and rescue areas

Following the adoption of the 1979 SAR Convention, IMO's Maritime Safety Committee divided the world's oceans into 13 search and rescue areas, in each of which the countries concerned have delimited search and rescue regions for which they are responsible.

The technical Annex of the SAR Convention clarifies the responsibilities of Governments and puts greater emphasis on the regional approach and co-ordination between maritime and aeronautical SAR operations.

The Annex includes five Chapters:

Chapter 1 - Terms and Definitions
This Chapter updates the original Chapter 1 of the same name.

Chapter 2 - Organization and Co-ordination
Replaces the 1979 Chapter 2 on Organization. The Chapter has been re-drafted to make the responsibilities of Governments clearer. It requires Parties, either individually or in co-operation with other States, to establish basic elements of a search and rescue service, to include:

   -  legal framework;
   -  assignment of a responsible authority;
   -  organization of available resources;
   -  communication facilities;
   -  co-ordination and operational functions; and
   -  processes to improve the service including planning, domestic and international co-operative relationships and training.


Parties should establish search and rescue regions within each sea area - with the agreement of the Parties concerned. Parties then accept responsibility for providing search and rescue services for a specified area.

The Chapter also describes how SAR services should be arranged and national capabilities be developed. Parties are required to establish rescue co-ordination centres and to operate them on a 24-hour basis with trained staff who have a working knowledge of English.

Parties are also required to "ensure the closest practicable co-ordination between maritime and aeronautical services".

Chapter 3 - Co-operation between States
Replaces the original Chapter 3 on Co-operation.

Requires Parties to co-ordinate search and rescue organizations, and, where necessary, search and rescue operations with those of neighbouring States. The Chapter states that unless otherwise agreed between the States concerned, a Party should authorize, subject to applicable national laws, rules and regulations, immediate entry into or over its territorial sea or territory for rescue units of other Parties solely for the purpose of search and rescue.
Parties should enter into agreements with neighbouring States setting forth the conditions for entry of each other's rescue units into or over their respective territorial sea or territory. These agreements should also provide for expediting entry of such units with the least possible formalities.

Chapter 4 - Operating Procedures
Incorporates the previous Chapters 4 (Preparatory Measures) and 5 (Operating Procedures).

The Chapter says that each RCC (Rescue Co-ordination Centre) and RSC (Rescue Sub-Centre) should have up-to-date information on search and rescue facilities and communications in the area and should have detailed plans for conduct of search and rescue operations. Parties - individually or in co-operation with others should be capable of receiving distress alerts on a 24-hour basis. The regulations include procedures to be followed during an emergency and state that search and rescue activities should be co-ordinated on scene for the most effective results. The Chapter says that "Search and rescue operations shall continue, when practicable, until all reasonable hope of rescuing survivors has passed".

Chapter 5 - Ship reporting systems
Includes recommendations on establishing ship reporting systems for search and rescue purposes, noting that existing ship reporting systems could provide adequate information for search and rescue purposes in a given area.

 
IAMSAR Manual

Concurrently with the revision of the SAR Convention, the IMO and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) jointly developed the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual, published in three volumes covering Organization and Management; Mission Co-ordination; and Mobile Facilities.


SRR overlaps What happens to these areas?

A country has does not have exclusive jurisdiction over search and rescue in its national SRR, or that a country is required to seek permission for its ships and aircraft engaged on a rescue mission to enter the SRR of another country. Rather it is everyone%u2019s responsibility to save lives at sea. An SRR by itself is not a zone of maritime jurisdiction where a country has any exclusive rights or obligations. Conversely, a country%u2019s responsibility to save lives does not end at the limit of its SRR.
Jurisdiction varies between different maritime zones and is unrelated to whether or not a country has an SRR overlapping these zones. The maritime zones constitutes internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Freedoms of navigation and over flight apply in the latter three zones and rescue units of another country may enter these zones to save lives without first seeking permission regardless of whether the waters are part of an SRR.
However, it would still be appropriate to inform the SAR authority of the coastal country if the area involved overlapped with its SRR. Permission would only be required if entry to archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and internal waters was required, although this would be automatic if the country concerned was a party to the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (1979) (SAR Convention). That convention requires that unless otherwise agreed between the States concerned, parties should authorize immediate entry into their territorial sea or territory of rescue units solely for the purpose of SAR.
Some regional countries have not joined the convention because becoming a party would bring with it the obligation to allow rescue units of other parties to enter territorial waters on a SAR mission.



Note- India has ratified the SAR convention
The Indian Coast Guard is the National Maritme Search aand Rescue Co-ordinating Authority for executing / coordinating SAR missions in the Indian maritime SRR. The Coast Guard SAR response involves multi-mission stations located in all maritime states, Coast Guard ships and Coast Guard aircraft linked by communication network.  Director General Coast Guard is the National Maritime SAR Coordinating Authority(NMSARCA). Under NMSARCA the Indian Search and Rescue Region of India is divided into three SAR areas with MRCC's located at Mumbai , Chennai and PortBlair with subcentres (MRSC ) at Porbandar , Goa, New Manglore, Mumbai and Kochi in the west, Vizag, Paradip and Haldia in the East and Diglipur, Campbellbay in Andaman and Nicobar.
Conforming to the provisions of SAR convention 1979 and with the aim of providing / co-ordinating the effective search and rescue operations in a possible event of any marine casualty at sea, the Indian Coast Guard has brought in to operations a supplementary Ship Position Reporting System with effect from 01st February, 2003 called %u201CIndian Ship Reporting System%u201D (INDSAR). This
is a supplementary and an advance computerized system designed to contribute to safety of life/timely search and rescue operations at sea.
This system is operated and maintained by the Indian Coast Guard through their Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) at Mumbai