The Navy of Colombia, the Directorate-General Maritime, DIMAR, and the Civil Aeronautics, made an exercise of search and rescue in the Colombian Caribbean to strengthen the inter-agency coordination and provide timely support to emergency signals that are received through the National Maritime System of Search and Rescue; to this an emergency was simulated with the report of an aircraft with difficulties in the electrical system and propulsion, it went to the water in the Colombian Caribbean sea, about 40 nautical miles from Cartagena, approximately.
During the exercise led by DIMAR, the aircraft reported the situation to the Air Control Center of Barranquilla, of the Civil Aeronautics, which immediately activated the emergency procedures, alerting the Caribbean Maritime Rescue Control Center, and the Operations Center of the Caribbean Naval Force, in Cartagena, of the Colombian Navy, where the SAR (search and rescue) mission coordinator was designate, who is in charge of the planning and execution of the operation.
To rescue the people on board the aircraft, the Colombian Navy deployed a rescue helicopter and a rapid reaction boat of the Cartagena Coast Guard Station, which found the aircraft and rescued the personnel already in the water. Subsequently, the staff was taken to Cartagena to be put into safety and evaluate their health conditions.
“With this exercise, compliance with the procedures that must be carried out by each unit within the National Maritime SAR System for the assistance in an emergency call of a person who is in danger at sea, was verified,” said Captain Marco Olier Mendoza, responsible for the Area of Comprehensive Maritime and Port Security of DIMAR.
Source: press-Colombian Navy
