•Previously Mentioned

• Incomplete/No Manifests
• Lack of reporting of position
The • No distress signal
• Delayed incident reporting
Challeng • Distance to accident site

e of •Other
• Inadequate resources
rescue.. • More number of victims
Additional Notes
 Worldwide Ferry Association identified several key areas to
be addressed:

 Lack of communication – alerting of incident & location.

 Failure to investigate incidents to determine cause to

prevent future repetition

 IMRF – Rescue Boat Guidelines

 IMO - Manila statement on domestic passenger vessels

Lives Lost due to Lack of Communication

Uean Te Raoi II – Kiribati – 13 July 2009 19 Dead / 16 Missing

 Consequently the search was undertaken in the wrong area for

about 2½ days.

 Had an EPIRB been on-board and activated, the exact location

and plight of the Uean Te Raoi II would have been known
almost immediately. In this event it is highly likely that all of
those on-board would have been rescued that night, meaning
the number of fatalities would have been kept at 2.
Lives Lost due to Lack of Communication
Manitoba, Canada – 2008 / 2011

 Island Lake River – northern

Manitoba – Canada – 5 Nov
2011
 Boat stuck in rapids – 3 day
delay in rescue - 3 lost, 1
survivor
 Lake Manitoba – Canada – 21
October 2008
 Vessel broken down, 1 day
delay in communication – 1
lost, 2 survivors
 Communication
(In cases where an EPIRB is not required or fitted) PLB (GPS enabled)
SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger (Tracking, Emergency)
 Incident Reporting (1) Why?
 To establish & retain in the public domain the ‘facts’.

 Was it ‘an Act of God’?

 Was it the result of some sort of human failing ? If so, was it

an individual failure, or were there systemic factors?

 Insufficient funds to provide the required services

12/07/2022 Capt. Mohammad Mostafa Kamal 6

 Incident Reporting (2) IMO Casualty Investigation Code
‘Objective of preventing marine casualties.. in the future’
 Objectives:
 How to prevent future recurrences
 Public knowledge of what is a safe operation
 Organizational knowledge of what is a safe operation
 Political Will to demand Safety Standards be Maintained

 Not to apportion blame or determine liability

 Focus on why (technical explanation) in addition to what

happened

 The final report shall be made available to the public’ - encourages

objective reporting, public understanding of the facts, pressure to
perform on all parties
• DISTRESS CALLS
• The transmission of distress alert indicates that a ship is in distress
and in need of assistance.

• Distress alerting is the rapid reporting of a distress incident to a

unit which can provide assistance
Distress signals are:
• visual signals (e.g. a flare , a flag);
• audio signals (e.g. a whistle, rocket fired at regular intervals);
• radio signals (e.g. ‘Mayday’ by radiotelephone).
•
•
 SMOKE SIGNAL HAND FLARES

• When a distress alert is received by a rescue coordination

centre, it will relay the alert to search and rescue (SAR) units
and ships near the incident

• A distress alert should indicate the identification, position,

time and its nature.
 Transmission of the Distress
Message
• Press the distress button to initiate the distress mode.

• Select the band on which the alert is to be transmitted.

• The radio must be tuned to the DSC distress channel of the

chosen band.

• If time allows, key in the nature of the distress, the position and
the time.

• Select type of communication and transmit the distress alert.

Emergency frequencies are:
• VHF- Channel 16

• MF - 2182 kHz

• HF - 4125 kHz, 6215 kHz, 8291 kHz, 12290 kHz, and 16420 kHz.

Telex emergency frequencies are:

• MF - 2174.5 kHz

• HF - 4177.5, kHz, 6268 kHz, 8376.5 kHz, 12520 kHz, and 16695 kHz
 Message Format
• Mayday - Mayday indicates that it is a distress message.
Identity - Maritime Mobile Service Identity number repeated
three times.

• Position

• The nature of distress

• Required assistance

• Over
GMDSS Concept

12/07/2022 Capt. Mohammad Mostafa Kamal 13

RESPONSE TO A DISTRESS ALERT

Distress Alert received on CH-70 (Sea Area A-1)

• Log & inform Master

• Set watch on CH-16 & its associated RT (156.800 MHz)

• Wait for at least 3 minutes for CRS to acknowledge by

“DSC” or by “Voice”

• Acknowledge by voice
RESPONSE TO A DISTRESS ALERT

Distress Alert received on CH-70 (Sea Area A-1)…….

• If no voice contact with the distressed vessel and / or

the CRS has not acknowledged, acknowledge by “DSC”

• Relay Alert ashore by most appropriate means

 RESPONSE TO A DISTRESS ALERT
Distress Alert received on CH-70
(Sea Area A-2, A-3, A-4)

• Log & inform Master

• Set watch on VHF CH-16

• Acknowledge by Voice on CH-16

• If no voice contact with distressed vessel, relay alert

ashore by most appropriate means
RESPONSE TO A DISTRESS ALERT

Distress Alert received on CH-70 (Sea Area A-2, A-3, A-4)

Format of acknowledgement by a station

MAYDAY
MMSI MMSI MMSI (distressed vessel)
This is
ID ID ID (acknowledging vessel)
Received MAYDAY
OVER
IMMIEDIATE ACTION
 Acknowledge receipt of message (GMDSS)

 Get following information (Distressed craft)

 Position

 Identity (Call Sign & Name)

 No. of persons onboard

 Nature of distress

 Type of assistance required

IMMIEDIATE ACTION

 No. of victims

 Course & Speed

 Type of craft & Cargo

 Any other information

ON-BOARD PREPARATIONS
• LSA & FFA equipment
• Walkie Talkies
• LTA’s
• Pilot Ladders
• Lifelines
• Scrambling Nets
• Rescue Baskets
• Portable pumps
• Signaling Lamps
• Search Lights
• Torches
• Buoyant Markers
• Dye Markers
• Loud Hailers
ON-BOARD PREPARATIONS
Medical Assistance:

• Stretchers
• Blankets
• Medical Supplies
• Clothing
• Food

Miscellaneous Equipment:

• Gantry - If Fitted
• Line from bow to stern at water level
 COMMUNICATION
VESSELS SHOULD MAINTAIN COMMUNICATION WITH THE
DISTRESSED CRAFT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ADVISE THE SAR
SYSTEM OF THE SITUATION

The following “OWN VESSEL” information should be

communicated to the distressed craft:
• Identity
• Call sign
• Name
• Position
• Speed & ETA to distressed craft
 COMMUNICATION
• Distressed craft’s true bearing and distance from own ship
• Use all available means to remain aware of the location of
the distressed craft
• When in close proximity post extra lookouts
• The ship or “CRS” should establish contact with the “SMC”
and pass on all available information
PLANNING THE SEARCH
DATUM
Datum position is found by moving from the incident position or last
computed datum position, the drift distance in the drift direction and
plotting the resulting position on a suitable chart

VISUAL SEARCH

Individual search patterns have been designed so that “OSC” can

initiate a search by one or more craft
PLANNING THE SEARCH
 Reported position & time of “SAR” incident

 Any supplementary information

 Sightings

 Time interval between the incident & arrival of “SAR” facilities

 Estimated surface movement of distressed craft or survival

craft

12/07/2022 Capt. Mohammad Mostafa Kamal 25

VISUAL SEARCH

TRACK SPACING
Depends upon:
• Search objects
• Meteorological visibility
• Changes in weather
• No. of assisting craft
• Sea conditions
• Time of day
• Position of sun
• Effectiveness of observers, etc

12/07/2022 Capt. Mohammad Mostafa Kamal 26

VISUAL SEARCH

SEARCHING SPEED
• To carry out a parallel sweep search all facilities should
proceed at the same speed as directed by “OSC”

• It is normally the maximum speed of the slowest ship

present

• In restricted visibility the “OSC” will normally order a

reduction in searching speed

12/07/2022 Capt. Mohammad Mostafa Kamal 27

SEARCH AREA
COMPUTATION OF SEARCH RADIUS (S)
Use one of the following methods:

 If search must commence immediately, assume

“R” = 10 nm

 If time is available for computation, then search

area will be calculated, depending upon No. of
searching craft
SEARCH AREA
Search patterns
• (SS) Expanding Square search
• (VS) Sector search
• (TS) Track line search
• (PS) Parallel sweep search
• (OS) Contour search

12/07/2022 Capt. Mohammad Mostafa Kamal 29

EXPANDING SQUARE SEARCH
(SS)
6S

4S

2S

DATUM 2S 4S
5S 3S S

3S

5S

7S
EXPANDING SQUARE SEARCH
(SS)
• Location of the search object to be known within relatively close
limits

• Search start point is always the datum position

• Appropriate when searching with little or no leeway

• Due to the small area involved, not to be used by multiple aircrafts

or vessels

• Accurate navigation is required

• Orient the first leg into the wind to minimize navigational errors

• Difficult for fixed wing aircraft to fly legs close to datum if “S” is less
than 2 nm
SECTOR SEARCH (VS)

DATUM

Sector pattern
Single unit search
 SECTOR SEARCH (VS)
• Position of the search object is accurately known

• Search area is small

• Used to search a circular area centered on a datum point

• Due to small area involved, not be used simultaneously by

multiple aircrafts or vessels
SECTOR SEARCH (VS)
• An aircraft & a vessel may be used together to perform
independent sector searches of the same area

• A suitable marker may be dropped at the datum position and

used as a reference of navigational aid marking the centre of the
pattern

• For aircraft, the search pattern radius is usually between 5 to 20

nm

• For vessels, the search pattern radius is usually between 2 to 5

nm, and each turn is 120o, normally turned to starboard
TRACK LINE SEARCH (non-return) (TSN)

s
TRACK OF MISSING AIRCRAFT

s
TRACK LINE SEARCH (return) (TSR)

½s
TRACK OF MISSING AIRCRAFT

½s
TRACK LINE SEARCH (non-return)
(TSN)

AIRCRAFT SEARCH HEIGHT

• Usually 300 to 600 meters (1000 ft to 3000 ft) during

daylight

• 600 to 900 meters (2000 ft to 3000 ft) at night

TRACK LINE SEARCH (TS)

• Normally used when a craft has disappeared without a

trace along a known route

• Often used as initial search effort due to ease of

planning and implementation

• Consists of a rapid and reasonably thorough search

along intended route of the distressed craft
 TRACK LINE SEARCH (TS)
• Search may be along one side of the track line and
return in the opposite direction on the other side (TSR)

• Search may be along the intended track and once on

each side, then search facility continues on its way and
does not return (TSN)

• Aircraft are frequently used for “TS” due to their high

speed
 PARALLEL SWEEP (PS)
Commence Search Point
Search
(CSP) Leg
Turn Point (Way Point)
½s
Corner
Point
½s

Cross
Leg

s Track
Space (S)
Orientation
Width
Centre Point

Direction of Creep

Length
PARALLEL SWEEP (PS)

DATUM DATUM

S miles S miles
S miles S miles
S miles S miles
S miles S miles S miles S miles

Track 1 Track 2 Track 1 Track 2 Track 3

PARALLEL SWEEP (PS)

DATUM

S miles S miles S miles

S miles S miles S miles
S miles

Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Track 4

Parallel track search – 4 ships

PARALLEL SWEEP (PS)

DATUM

S miles S miles

S miles S miles

Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Track 4 Track 5

Parallel track search (5 or more ships)

 PARALLEL SWEEP SEARCH (PS)
• Used to search a large area when survivor location is
uncertain

• Most effective over water or flat terrain

• Usually used when a large search area must be divided

into sub areas for assignment to individual search
facilities on-scene at the same time
 PARALLEL SWEEP SEARCH (PS)
• The commence search point is in one corner of the sub-
area, one-half track space inside the rectangle from each
of the two sides forming the corner

• Search legs are parallel to each other and to the long

sides of the sub-area
CONCLUSION OF SEARCH
• The OSC should continue the search until all hopes of survivors
has passed. He should consider following before termination of
search:

1. Probability that survivors might be still alive.

2. Time remaining that search facilities can remain on-scene.
3. Probability of detection of search objects in the area.
4. Probability that survivors, if alive, were in search area.
Guide for survival times in water
(Without special protective clothing in water)

Temperature Expected survival time

less than 2 less than ¾ hrs

2 to 4 less than 1.5 hrs
4 to 10 less than 3 hrs
10-15 less than 6 hrs
15-20 less than 12 hrs
0ver 20indefinite