GEN 3.6 SEARCH AND RESCUE

3.6.1 Responsible service(s)

3.6.1.1. Over-all responsibility for making the necessary facilities available rests with the General Authority Of Civil Aviation, the postal and telegraphic addresses  are shown on page GEN 1.1.1.
3.6.1.2. The address of the Search and Rescue of the ATS Division is as follows:


P. O. Box 15441
Jeddah 21444
Saudi Arabia
AFTN: OEJDYCYX
3.6.1.3. The address of the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) and the Saudi Arabian Mission Control Center (SAMCC) is as follow :
 
General Authority of Civil Aviation / Saudi Air Navigation Services
Jeddah
SAMCC/JARCC
P.O.Box 6326
Jeddah 21442 BLDG 18
Saudi Arabia
TEL:    +966 12 6150170
            +966 12 6855812
FAX:    +966 12 6150171
AFTN: OEJDYCYX
            OEJNJSAR
E-mail: samcc.sar@sans.com.sa


The service is provided in accordance with the provisions contained in:
  1. GACAR section 12- Search and Rescue.
  2. ICAO Annex 12 - Search and Rescue.
  3. ICAO Annex 13 - Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation.
  4. ICAO Doc 7333 - Search and Rescue manual .
  5. ICAO Doc 7030 - Regional Supplementary Procedures for Alerting and Search and Rescue Services , applicable to the MID part of the MID/ASIA Region.

3.6.2 Area of responsibility

The SAR area of responsibility of Jeddah RCC includes the Jeddah FIR and all areas of Saudi Arabian territory and territorial waters.

3.6.3 Types of service

3.6.3.1. The search and rescue service in Saudi Arabia is organized in accordance with GACA Regulations and the International Standards and Recommended Practices of ICAO.
3.6.3.2. The Saudi Arabian Mission Control Center (SAMCC) is co-located with the ARCC in Jeddah to detect and locate the position of distress signals emitted on 406.000 MHZ and received by the COSPAS / SARSAT satellite system. Distress signals received at the SAMCC will be notified to the appropriate Rescue coordination Centre (RCC) in order to initiate immediate search and rescue operations.
3.6.3.3. Any Saudi registered aircraft or vessel fitted with 406.000 MHZ ELT, EPIRB or PLB beacons must contact the SAMCC to register the 406.000 MHZ using the registration form. See GEN 3.6-3 for an example of the 406.000 MHZ notify the owner immediately about any emergency and to coordinate valuable information for successful SAR operations.


Post:
 
Saudi Arabian Mission Control Center Management
P. O. Box 15441
Jeddah 21444
TEL: +966 12 6848573 
         +966 12 6150170 / +966 12 6855812  24/7
FAX: +966 12 6150171 / +966 12 6402855  24/7
e-mail: samcc@gaca.gov.sa
             samcc@sans.gov.sa samcc@sans.com.sa
 
Note : (Office) from 05:00 to 13:00 UTC excluding FRI & SAT.
3.6.3.4. Details of the rescue co-ordination centre and related rescue units are given in Table 3.6.3. In addition, various elements of the Ministry of Interior and armed forces are available for search and rescue missions when required. The aeronautical, maritime and public telecommunications services are available to the search and rescue organization.
 
  Table 3.6.3 Search and Rescue Units
 

Name

Location

Craft Available

Activation Time in Hours

Availability

Dhahran

Dhahran / King Abdulaziz Air Base

Aircraft and helicopters

-

H24

Dhahran

Security Aviation Eastren Region Base

Helicopters

30 minutes

H24

DMRCC

Border Guards base (Dammam)

Hover Craft + Patrol Boat + Rescue Boat

Immediately

H24
Jeddah Jeddah / King Abdulaziz International Long range aircraft - H24
Jeddah Security Aviation Makkah Region Base Helicopters 30 minutes H24
JMRCC Border Guards base (Jeddah) Hover Craft + Patrol Boat + Rescue Boat Immediately H24
Riyadh Security Aviation Riyadh Region Base Helicopters 30 minutes H24
Abha Security Aviation Aseer Region Base Helicopters 30 minutes H24
 

3.6.4 SAR agreements

Requirements for entry of aircraft, equipment, and personnel from other States to engage in search and resue missions for aircraft in distress or to rescue survivors of aircraft accidents should be transmitted to the General Authority Of Civil Aviation:


AFTN: OEJDYAYX (DD Message) and
TEL: +966115253336 - 24H
FAX: +966115253306 / +966115253302
e-mail: ATCD@gaca.gov.sa

3.6.5 Conditions of availability

The SAR services and facilities in Saudi Arabia are available without charge to neighbouring States upon request to the General Authority of Civil Aviation , at all times when not otherwise engaged in operational commitments.

3.6.6 Procedures and signals used

3.6.6.1 Procedures and signals used by aircraft

Procedures for pilots-in-command observing an accident or intercepting a distress call and/or message are outlined in GAGAR-Section 12, chapter 5.

3.6.6.2 Communications

3.6.6.2.1. The transmission and reception of distress messages within the Jeddah Search and Rescue Region (SRR) are handled in accordance with ICAO Annex 10, Volume II, Chapter 5, paragraph 5.3
3.6.6.2.2. SAR authorities may also provide SRUs with ability to operate on the frequencies 3023 kHz, 4125 kHz, 5680 kHz, 121.5 MHz, 123.1 MHz and 2182 kHz;
3.6.6.2.3. Information concerning call signs, frequencies, and hours of operation of Saudi Arabian ATS Units is published in ENR 2.1.
3.6.6.2.4. The frequency 121.500 MHZ is continuously guarded by appropriate ATC facilities.
3.6.6.2.5. Rescue aircraft on SAR missions will be assigned the call sign RESCUE and additional identification marks (ALPHA , BRAVO , CHARLIE , etc) during rescue operations

3.6.6.3 Search and rescue signals

The search and rescue signals to be used are those prescribed in GAGAR-Section 12, Appendix A1-1.

3.6.6.4 Ground/air visual signal codes for use by survivors

 
No. Message Code Symbol
1 Require assistance V
2 Require medical assistance X
3 No or Negative N
4 Yes or Affirmative Y
5 Proceeding in this direction ↑

Instructions for use:
  1. Make signals not less than 8 FT (2.5 M).
  2. Take care to lay out signals exactly as shown.
  3. Provide as much colour contrast as possible between signals and background.

Note 1: Symbols may be formed by any means such as: strips of fabric, parachute materials, pieces of wood, stones or such like materials; making the surface by tramping, or staining with oil.
Note 2 : Make every effort to attract attention by other means such as radio, flares, smoke, reflected light.

3.6.6.5 Guidance for the mandatory completion of the 406 MHZ registration form for Saudi registered aircraft

  1. The applicant must complete the registration form and forward it to the addrss indicated within the form, and to assist in Search and Rescue operation.
  2. To assist in Search and Rescue operation The applicant must update the information whenever necessary.
  3. Beacon owner/user must adhere to the manufactures’ instructions on the frequency of performing a self-test and transmission of a self-test GNSS position. This will limit the likelihood of inadvertent activation and battery depletion. However, for beacons live operational test activation such exceptional requests will be considered on their merits and a request shall be provided by the person requesting an operational test in written form at least two days in advance of the requested day of testing to SAMCC.
  4. Beacon owner / user must avoid accidental activation SAR beacon to save SAR resources.
  5. Beacon owner / user must familiarize himself or the crew with beacon operating instructions.

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