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

apparatus may freely proceed to, and assist the distressed vessel unless
the authorities advise that adequate assistance is available, or that,
for any other reason, such assistance is not considered necessary
(Article II).
Notification is necessary when a vessel or apparatus of one country
departs from the territory or waters of the other country entered to
render assistance. Private vessels which have so entered, a well as
private distressed vessels and the cargo, equipment, stores, crew, and
passengers thereof, are subject to the laws in force in the country in
whose territorial waters such assistance is rendered.
"Assistance" in this treaty means any act necessary or desirable to
prevent injury arising from a marine peril of persons or property, and
"vessel" includes aircraft as well as every kind of conveyance used or
capable of being used for transportation on water (Article III).
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
Air Transport Agreement with Annex, and Supplementary Exchange of Notes
Signed at Washington November 4, 1966 (17 UST 1909; TIAS 6135)
Article 11 of this agreement provides for the measures that may be
taken and the procedures to be followed in the event of a forced
landing, accident, or other incident involving an aircraft of the
designated airline of one contracting party within the territory of the
other contracting party.
Article I of the supplementary agreement requires, among other
things, that each contracting party shall provide within its territory
"search and rescue facilities."
Such provisions are not normally included in bilateral air
transport agreements concluded by the United States, because other
countries with which such agreements are concluded are members of ICAO
which, as indicated under "Multilateral" above, has established SAR
standards. The U.S.S.R. was not a member of the Organization in 1966
but is now.
GENERAL BILATERAL SAR AGREEMENTS
The following agreements provide for coordinated SAR activities in
areas of mutual interest to the parties. Each agreement identifies its
scope in terms of maritime SAR, aeronautical SAR, or both. Some
agreements discuss lines separating SAR regions. Some of the agreements
may also have implementing annexes.
Search and Rescue Agreement Between the Chief of Defence Staff, Canadian
Forces and Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard
October 25, 1974
Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the
Government of Japan on Maritime Search and Rescue