Mediterranean migration ‘major challenge’ for maritime search and rescue services

The thousands of migrants who find themselves in difficulty trying to cross the Mediterranean are the main challenge facing search and rescue (SAR) services in the area, IMRF chairman Michael Vlasto told a regional meeting of maritime rescuers.

This was one of the main topics discussed at the regional meeting of the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF), hosted by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) earlier this week.

Rescue boat guidelines, mass rescue operations such as the Costa Concordia rescue and the USCG Black Swan exercise held in the Bahamas, were also on the agenda, along with the desire to improve relationships between cruise ship operators and the SAR services.

"IMRF regional meetings provide a great forum for open discussions on the lifesaving challenges faced by maritime SAR organisations, countries and the region as a whole," Vlasto said.

Delegates heard that migrant incidents were becoming a daily problem, that their boats were often not seaworthy and that they did not have safety equipment resulting in hundreds losing their lives every year.

The IMRF said an area it could support would be by working with developing countries helping to build maritime SAR coordination and response capability either directly with those countries or through support of successful training initiatives provided by the AFM.

On the theme of cooperation and co-ordination, Bruce Reid, IMRF Chief Executive said: "One of the underlying themes has been the need to improve communications between the rescue organisations which is something we encounter around the world. The more familiar the SAR organisations and individuals are, the better the coordination is under the pressure of a SAR event.

"We have been impressed with the structures and professionalism of the groups we have met and the openness with which the challenges have been tabled.

Vlasto also met home affairs minister Emmanuel Mallia, presenting him with an international perspective on some key areas of search and rescue.