ICAO Annex 12, Search and Rescue

Annex, which is complemented by a three-part Search and Rescue Manual dealing with SAR organization, management and procedures, sets forth the provisions for the establishment, maintenance and operation of search and rescue services by ICAO Contracting States in their territories and over the high seas. Proposals for Annex 12 were originally made in 1946. By 1951, the proposals had been reviewed and revised to meet international civil aviation requirements, and were embodied as Standards and Recommended Practices in the first edition of Annex 12. Containing five chapters, the Annex details the organization and cooperative principles appropriate to effective SAR operations, outlines required necessary preparatory measures and sets forth proper operating procedures for SAR services in actual emergencies.