Global search and rescue system gets recognition as real lifesaver

Global search and rescue system gets recognition as real lifesaver
by Chris Benson
Washington DC (UPI) Sep 9, 2025

The world's 45-nation strong search and rescue system is being highlighted this week during the inaugural "Global Search and Rescue Day," a time set aside to honor the many humanitarian efforts under the COSPAS-SARSAT global operations.

The NOAA-backed international COSPAS-SARSAT program, which is a global satellite-based monitoring initiative, is using Wednesday as its first-ever Global Search and Rescue Day to commemorate the first COSPAS-credited rescue in 1982 near British Columbia in Canada.

"This observance aims to honor the humanitarian efforts of the many professionals across 45 nations and independent search and rescue (SAR) organizations that make up COSPAS-SARSAT's global operations," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday in a release.

Currently, the global satellite-based monitoring initiative COSPAS-SARSAT is utilized by the U.S. Coast Guard, NASA and the U.S. Department of the Air Force from aircraft to ground facilities using deployed GPS satellites in medium-Earth orbit.

The term COSPAS-SARSAT is an acronym from transliterated Russian, basically meaning "search and rescue satellite-assisted tracking." The system maintains NOAA satellites used in low-Earth and geostationary orbits to detect and locate aviators, mariners and land-based users in distress in or near U.S. borders.

Since 1982's first rescue, an estimated 63,000 people worldwide have been rescued under COSPAS-SARSAT.

According to NOAA officials, when an emergency distress beacon is activated, NOAA satellites relay its signal to a network of ground stations and ultimately to the U.S. Mission Control Center in Suitland, Md.

They added that, from that point, data is quickly sent to Rescue Coordination Centers operated either by the U.S. Air Force for land rescues or the Coast Guard for maritime incidents.

NOAA said in April that 411 lives were saved last year in the United States through COSPAS-SARSAT via NOAA satellites in coordination with either the Coast Guard, Air Force or NASA rescuers.

On Tuesday, officials at NOAA said that, as of August, roughly 190 people in and around U.S. waters had been rescued using the system.

They added it included five individuals from a plane crash in April near Coos Bay in Oregon