Saudi arabia: Saudi Arabia is marking International Search and Rescue Day of the International Cospas-Sarsat Programme. The day was officially established following a pioneering Saudi initiative led by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and unanimously endorsed by the Cospas-Sarsat Programme Council and member states. The initiative reflects the Kingdom's leading role in enhancing aviation and maritime safety and supporting international cooperation to save lives.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Arabia proposed the initiative during the International Cospas-Sarsat Programme Council meeting held in Riyadh in October 2024, seeking to highlight the importance of global search and rescue services. The proposal designated September 10 each year as International Search and Rescue Day. The date coincides with the anniversary of the first successful rescue operation using data from the Cospas-Sarsat space-based system in 1982. It provides an annual occasion to honor the humanitarian efforts of specialists and field teams at search and rescue coordination centers worldwide.
As part of the national safety system, the Saudi Search and Rescue Center operates under GACA's supervision, while its management and operations are handled by the Saudi Air Navigation Services Company (SANS). The center is one of the region's leading advanced centers, providing round-the-clock services and extending its regional coverage to seven neighboring countries. It uses the latest space-based and terrestrial technologies to receive and analyze distress signals, ensuring rapid response to maritime, land, and aviation incidents.
More than 3.5 million devices are registered with the system worldwide, including around 2.1 million active devices currently in use across air, maritime, and land transport.
Saudi Arabia officially joined the Cospas-Sarsat satellite-aided search and rescue programme on August 19, 2000. Since then, the Kingdom has continued to invest in developing search and rescue infrastructure and national capabilities. These efforts reflect the leadership's commitment to strengthening the Kingdom's role as an active and reliable international partner in supporting humanitarian efforts and protecting lives across borders.
