Managers in search and rescue coordination meeting and training |12 May 2015

A group of key management officers from the air force, coastguard, Seychelles Maritime Safety Administration (SMSA), Seychelles Port Authority and other partners involved in maritime search and rescue are taking part in and benefitting from a three-day meeting and training session.

Also taking part in the meeting and training on maritime search and rescue are representatives from Kenya and Tanzania.

Organised by the SMSA in partnership with the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG), the meeting is expected to finalise the formulation of the national Search And Rescue plan (Sar) as well as one for the sub-region.

The meeting and training is being led by a search and rescue specialist in communication Hans Van Der Graft, a consultant in maritime search and rescue Kees Koning – both from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) secretariat – and regional maritime organisation coordinator John Paul Muindi.

Speaking to the press after the opening of the meeting and training Mr Muindi said it is a follow-up to the first one held in Mombasa in 2009 which was to develop a search and rescue regional coordination format with proper settings for an agreement of coordination between countries for prompt and timely response and deployment of equipment in the advent of an accident at sea.

“The aim of these discussions is to have the agreement of all countries concerned to ensure the fast and smooth deployment of equipment in case a search and rescue mission is called for in the region,” Mr Muindi said.

He noted that already there is an agreement which has established search and rescue centres in the three countries. The main one is in Mombasa, Kenya with Seychelles and Tanzania having a sub-centre each and they all work together.

“But there has been no agreement on a formula for regional coordination,” added Mr Muindi.   

SMSA director general captain Joachim Valmont said it is important for Seychelles, being a very small country with limited resources, to have the commitment and support of regional neighbours like Kenya and Tanzania in the advent of an incident which would require search and rescue at sea.

“For instance if a plane crashes at sea or a cruise ship encounters engine problems, Seychelles will not be able to cope with such incidents as we do not have enough resources,” Mr Valmont pointed out.

It was the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport Joël Morgan who officially declared open the meeting and training taking place at the Maritime Training Centre (MTC) at Providence.

This was in the presence of senior maritime and port authority officers among other guests.

In his remarks Minister Morgan said the partnership between Kenya, Tanzania and Seychelles follows recognition that certain emergencies may require deployments of search and rescue facilities beyond the capabilities of these states.

He noted that the multilateral agreement signed in 2002 provides for the pooling of resources for mutual help of states which are party to this agreement.

Minister Morgan noted that the Kenya Maritime Authority, the Service in Maritime Transport Regulatory Authority in Tanzania and the SMSA shall act in coordination as coordinating agencies in safeguarding the Eastern African Maritime Search and Rescue region comprising the coastline and sea areas of Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia and Tanzania.

Minister Morgan thanked the Seychelles Coast Guard for its dedication and commitment to the search and rescue activities that save the lives of seafarers and those involved in air accidents within our search and rescue region.

Recognising the effort of the search and rescue centres in Kenya and Tanzania for their help, coordination and effort in helping save the lives of seafarers and people involved in accidents that end up in the sea within the region, Minister Morgan said: “What you do is important to save the lives of others, the dedication that you show, the effort you put in, the coordination that you do together as a team help to make this region a safer place and one where unfortunately if accidents happen you can respond quickly and effectively.”