International Cospas-Sarsat Programme

The International Cospas-Sarsat Programme is a satellite-based search and rescue (SAR) distress alert detection and information distribution system, established by Canada, France, the United States, and the former Soviet Union (succeeded by the Russian Federations) in 1979. It is best known as the system that detects and locates emergency beacons activated by aircraft, ships and people engaging in recreational activities in remote areas, to summon assistance from SAR authorities. It is credited with helping to rescue over 39,000 people in over 11,000 SAR events since the system first became operational in 1982. Over the years 38 other countries and two agencies have joined the project, either as providers of ground segments or as user states. The International Cospas-Sarsat Programme provides accurate, timely, and reliable distress alert and location data to SAR authorities in 220 countries to help assist persons in distress, reducing, as far as possible, delays in the provision of distress alerts to SAR services, and the time required to locate the persons in distress and provide assistance. Cospas-Sarsat co-operates with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International Telecommunication Union and other international organisations to ensure the compatibility of the Cospas-Sarsat distress alerting services with the needs, the standards and the applicable recommendations of the international community.