GEN 3.6.1  RESPONSIBLE SERVICES

The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre together with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre are responsible for organization and coordination of SAR service on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania.

Where the assistance of the respective coordination centres of the neighboring states is requested in the event of an emergency in the borderline section, the arrival of SAR aircraft and vessels at the territory of the Republic of Lithuania, the territorial waters and the airspace over them, and also the departure of SAR aircraft and vessels of the Republic of Lithuania for the place of an accident in the neighboring state shall be organized by the Aeronautical and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres, respectively.

The addresses of these centres are as follows:

The operation hours are: H24.

The operation hours are: H24.

The service is provided in accordance with the provisions contained in the following ICAO documents:

• Annex 10 Aeronautical telecommunication (Volume II);
• Annex 12 Search and Rescue;
• Annex 13 Aircraft accident investigation;
• Doc 7030 Regional Supplementary Procedures;
• Doc 9731 Search and Rescue Manual.

Differences to these provisions are detailed in section GEN 1.7.

GEN 3.6.2  AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

SAR Service is responsible for operations within Vilnius FIR.

GEN 3.6.3  TYPES OF SERVICE

Operations of SAR aircraft shall be organized and coordinated in accordance with the regulation on organization and performance of operations of SAR aircraft approved by Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 417 of 13 April 2001 “On Approval of the Regulation on Organization and Performance of Operations of Search and Rescue Aircraft” and by Resolution No. 1303 of 16 December 2015. The regulation has established the procedure for organization and performance of aircraft operations in SAR of people in case of an aircraft or ship accident or an aircraft or ship in distress, and also the procedure for submitting information on SAR operations in the event of an aircraft accident.

Details of related rescue units are given in Table 3.6.3 SAR Units. In addition, various units of the State Police, the merchant marine and the armed forces are available for SAR missions when required. The aeronautical, maritime and public telecommunication services are available to the SAR organization.

SAR aircraft and helicopters carry survival equipment, which can be dropped. It consists of inflatable rubber dinghies equipped with medical supplies, emergency ration and survival radio equipment. Aircraft and marine vessels are equipped to communicate on 121.500 MHZ, 2182 KHZ. Ground rescue teams are equipped to communicate on 121.500 MHZ. SAR aircraft and marine craft are equipped with direction finding equipment and radar.

Table 3.6.3. SAR Units

Equipment of SAR aircraft and composition of flight crews shall comply with the requirements laid down in Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, to which the Republic of Lithuania acceded by Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 514 of 30 November 1991 “On the Republic of Lithuania’s Accession to the Convention on International Civil Aviation” and in other documents of the International Civil Aviation Organization (Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 1303 of 16 December 2015).

GEN 3.6.4  SAR AGREEMENTS

The Government of the Republic of Lithuania has made agreements with Latvia, Sweden, Poland, Russia (over the Baltic Sea) for SAR purposes.

GEN 3.6.5  

For conditions of availability see Table 3.6.3.

GEN 3.6.6  PROCEDURES AND SIGNALS USED

Procedures for pilots-in-command observing an accident or intercepting a distress call and/or message are outlined in ICAO Annex 12, Chapter 5.

Transmission and reception of distress messages within the SAR Area are handled in accordance with ICAO Annex 10, Volume II, Chapter 5, paragraph 5.3.

For communication during SAR operations, the codes and abbreviations published in ICAO codes and Abbreviations (Doc 8400) are used.

The frequency 121.500 MHZ is monitored continuously during the operation hours at all area control centres and flight information centres. The aerodrome control towers serving international aerodromes and international alternate aerodromes will, on request, monitor the frequency 121.500 MHZ. All coast stations monitor the international distress frequencies.

Rescue aircraft belonging to permanent SAR Units use the call sign "LITHUANIA RESCUE" and additional identification marks (ALFA, BRAVO, CHARLIE, etc.) during rescue operations.

SAR forces on the accident site shall establish communication with the overland rescue services and other aircraft and ships, involved in the search, at an operating frequency of 123.100 MHZ, or other frequency in accordance with agreement (Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 1303 of 16 December 2015).

SAR signals to be used are those as prescribed in ICAO Annex 12, Chapter 5, paragraph 5.10.

In addition, the following procedure is used by aircraft when searching for survivors at night:

• search aircraft will fire a single green flare at intervals of 5 to 10 minutes;
• survivors should then wait 30 seconds after they see the signal (so that the search aircraft can pass out of the glare) and should fire a red flare followed, in a short interval, by a second one. The object of the second signal is to enable the crew of the aircraft to check that they are heading towards the survivors;
• the survivors should fire additional flares if the aircraft appears to be getting off-track or when it is almost overhead, so that an accurate position could be obtained.

International Ground/Air Emergency Code.

Instructions for use:

1. Make signals not less than at 8 FT (2.5 M).
2. Take care to lay out signals exactly as instructed.
3. Provide as much colour contrast as possible between signals and background.
4. Make every effort to attract attention by other means such as radio, fire, smoke, reflected light.

Note. It is preferable to use the International Ground/Air Emergency Code. The symbols may be made larger and hence more recognizable from the air. Paulins should be folded to form the signals shown. A paulin is also an extremely valuable survival shelter, poncho, ground sheet, sleeping-bag cover, sunshade, or rain collector.

ARCC Vilnius is SAR point of contact for COSPAS–SARSAT system in the Republic of Lithuania.