JP 3-50 National Search and Rescue Manual Vol I - US Navy

air SAR units, and provide guidance where needed for development of
national SAR services. The Convention and its technical annex apply to
parties to the Convention. Certain conference resolutions applicable to
all maritime nations are also published with the Convention.
Implementation of the Convention should result in fewer delayed rescue
attempts, more economical use of resources, and minimized duplication of
effort.
One article provides that the Convention will not interfere with,
or otherwise prejudice, other laws of the sea or national jurisdictions;
that is, provisions of other conventions are preserved.
The technical annex has six chapters, one each on terms and
definitions, organization, cooperation, preparatory measures, operating
procedures, and ship reporting systems. The IMO Search and Rescue
Manual provides additional guidance for implementing the Convention.
Chapter 2 deals with the structure of national SAR organizations.
Parties to the Convention are required to take urgent steps to assist
any person in distress at sea, regardless of nationality, status, or
circumstance. Information on national SAR resources is to be collected
by IMO, which will publish it as part of a worldwide SAR plan. Parties
should establish SAR regions by mutual agreement with their SAR
neighbors, or provide for an equivalent way of coordinating SAR services
internationally.
Chapter 3 embraces the key to success of the Convention,
coordination with neighboring nations.
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