“Cosbas-Saratat” program praises the UAE pivotal role in global search and rescue operations
Abu Dhabi, May 28 / WAM / Sherrill Bertoa, the main operations officer in the secretariat of the “Cosbas-Sarat” program at its headquarters in Montreal, Canada, thanked the UAE for hosting the thirty and thirty annual meeting of the World Research and Rescue Organization through the Global Satellite Telecom program “Cospas-Sarspas-SARSAT”, which is organized by the leadership of the leadership The National Guard, through the National Center for Research and Rescue, during the period from May 27 to June 5, 2025, with the participation of a group of technical and operating experts for the basic business management of the program.
Sherrill Bertoa explained in a statement to Emirates News Agency, “WAM” that the “Cosbas-Sarat” program is essentially a humanitarian task to save lives, as it occupies a global network of space sensors designed to monitor and determine the distress signals issued by emergency devices, whether it was activated by people in risk situations on land, at sea or in the air.
She pointed out that these sensors depend on satellites for global navigation and other weather conditions, which ensures global coverage and speed in receiving signals.
She added that when the distress device is activated, the reference is sent to the satellite network, then it is transferred to the ground stations, and from there to the rescue coordination centers that carry out the implementation of search and rescue operations.
She said that this joint meeting is a vital step in the process of developing the system and improving it constantly and we are always working to integrate new technologies to raise the efficiency and speed of response.
She pointed to the most prominent topics raised this year, which is the bilateral communication technology, which is an advanced ability that allows rescue coordination centers to send inquiries or instructions directly to the person who activated the distress device via satellites, which creates an immediate communication channel that may make a major difference in rescue operations, especially in cases where every crucial minute is.
She said that thanks to this system, 10 people are rescued daily around the world, stressing that the UAE plays a pivotal role in this system by hosting a advanced system of antennas that receive satellite signals, in addition to a task control center that addresses these signals and distributes them to the authorities competent to rescue around the world.
She added: “Whether it comes to jumping from helicopters, searching among the rubble with the help of trained dogs, or coordinating multinational rescue teams, human efforts behind these operations are enormous and we highly appreciate the UAE’s technical and operational contribution to this noble work that your direct support contributes to saving lives, and we are very grateful for that.”
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter
