Chennai, Aug 29 (FN Agency) The 10th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2022) was inaugurated by Dr Ajay Kumar,Defence Secretary here in the presence of VS Pathania, DirectorGeneral Indian Coast Guard. The two-day exercise which is conducted under the aegis of theNational Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB) is hosted bythe Indian Coast Guard, being the nodal maritime SAR coordinating agency for the Indian Search and Rescue Region (ISRR). A defence release said in addition to 51 participants from nationalMaritime SAR stakeholders, the exercise is being attended by 24o bservers from 16 friendly foreign countries.SAREX-22 will validate the Standard Operating Procedures and best practices during conduct of a Mass Rescue Operation (MRO).
This exercise is conducted once in every two years at different locations along the coast of India to simulate and conduct a realtime scenario on maritime contingency including search and rescue. The theme of this year’s edition of biennial exercise is “Capacity Building towards Marine Passenger Safety” and signifies the resolveand commitment of the NMSARB and other stakeholder agencies inproviding succour during large scale contingencies within our ISSR and beyond. In his address, the Defence Secretary said the Indian Coast Guardis playing a crucial and important role in expansion of maritime infrastructure and supporting the Union Government’s projects like Sagarmala. He also referred to the recent rescue of 32 Bangladeshi fishermen by the Indian Coast Guard gives the necessary background for highlighting the importance of this exercise.
While speaking on adoption of latest technologies by the Indian Coast Guard, the Defence Secretary mentioned the plan of showcasing unmanned SAR life-buoy developed by an Indianstartup in the exercise. Pathania, in his address, said in the SAREX-22 two mass rescuecontingencies will be simulated; one involving a passenger vesseland the other one with a passenger aircraft. He said India’s geolocation at the centre stage of the Indian Ocean Region and the dense merchant marine/fishing always keeps us onguard. The DG Coast Guard also highlighted that as the nodal maritime Search and Rescue agency of India, Indian Coast Guard havesaved more than 11,500 lives stranded at sea in the last fourdecades.