ANNEX 12 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation
Search and Rescue

Search and rescue services are organized to respond to persons apparently in distress and in need of help. Prompted by the need to rapidly locate and rescue survivors of aircraft accidents, a set of internationally agreed Standards and Recommended Practices has been incorporated in ICAO's Annex 12 - Search and Rescue (SAR).

The Annex, which is complemented by a three-part Search and Rescue Manual dealing with SAR organization, management and procedures, sets forth the provisions for the establishment, maintenance and operation of search and rescue services by ICAO Contracting States in their territories and over the high seas. Proposals for Annex 12 were originally made in 1946. By 1951, the proposals had been reviewed and revised to meet international civil aviation requirements, and were embodied as Standards and Recommended Practices in the first edition of Annex 12.

Containing five chapters, the Annex details the organization and cooperative principles appropriate to effective SAR operations, outlines required necessary preparatory measures and sets forth proper operating procedures for SAR services in actual emergencies.

One of the first aspects addressed in the organizational chapter is the requirement for States to provide SAR services within their territories and over those portions of the high seas or areas of undetermined sovereignty as determined in regional air navigation agreements and approved by the Council of ICAO. This chapter also deals with the establishment of mobile SAR units, the means of communication for these units and the designation of other elements of public or private services suitable for search and rescue activity.

Provisions concerning equipment requirements of rescue units reflect the need to give adequate assistance at the scene of accidents, due regard being given to the number of passengers involved.

Cooperation between the SAR services of neighboring States is essential to the efficient conduct of SAR operations. This important aspect is covered in depth in Chapter 3, which requires ICAO Contracting States to publish and disseminate all information needed for the expeditious entry into their territories of rescue units of other States. It is also recommended that persons qualified in the conduct of aircraft accident investigation accompany rescue units in order to facilitate accident investigation. Chapter 4, which deals with preparatory measures, sets forth the requirements for collation and publication of information needed by SAR services. It specifies that detailed plans of operation must be prepared for the conduct of SAR operations and indicates the necessary information for inclusion in the plans.

Preparatory measures required to be undertaken by rescue units, training requirements and removal of aircraft wreckage are also covered. A search and rescue operation is a dynamic activity requiring uniformly comprehensive operating procedures that are sufficiently flexible to meet extraordinary needs. Beginning with the requirement to identify and categorize the emergency situation, Chapter 5 details action to be taken for each category of event.

Three distinct phases categorize emergency situations. The first is the "Uncertainty Phase" which is commonly declared when radio contact has been lost with an aircraft and cannot be re-established or when an aircraft fails to arrive at its destination. During this phase the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) concerned may be activated. The RCC collects and evaluates reports and data pertaining to the subject aircraft.

Depending on the situation, the uncertainty phase may develop into an "Alert Phase", at which time the RCC alerts appropriate SAR units and initiates further action.

The "Distress Phase" is declared when there is reasonable certainty that an aircraft is in distress. In this phase, the RCC is responsible for taking action to assist the aircraft and to determine its location as rapidly as possible. In compliance with a predetermined set of procedures, the aircraft operator, State of Registry, air traffic services units concerned, adjacent RCCs and appropriate accident investigation authorities are informed; a plan for the conduct of the search and rescue operation is drawn up and its execution is coordinated.

Procedures are detailed in Chapter 5 for SAR operations involving two or more RCCs, for authorities in the field and for terminating or suspending SAR operations. Other procedures deal with actions to be taken at the scene of an accident and by a pilot-in-command intercepting a distress transmission.

An Appendix to the Annex provides three sets of signals, the first of which are signals for use by aircraft and surface craft during the conduct of a SAR operation. The second and third sets consist of ground-to-air visual signals for use by survivor and ground rescue units.