3.6.1   Responsible service

The Search and Rescue Services in Portugal are organized in accordance with International Standards and Recommended Practices of ICAO, and overall responsibilities for making available the necessary facilities rest with the Air Force and Navy authorities.

1. Rescue Coordinated Centres

1.1 Rescue Coordination Centre LISBOA (RCC LISBOA)

1.2 Rescue Coordination Centre LAJES (RCC LAJES)

2. SSR Codes

Codes SSR for Lisbon Search and Rescue Region are:

• 7720 to 7727

Applicable ICAO documents: ICAO Standards, Recommended Practices and Procedures contained in the following documents are applied:

Annex 10 - Aeronautical Telecommunications, Vol. II
Annex 12 - Search and Rescue
Annex 13 - Aircraft Accident Investigation
Doc 7030 - Regional Supplementary Procedures for Alerting and SAR Services applicable in the EUR and NAT Regions
Doc 7754 - Air Navigation Plan - European Region
Doc 8400 - ICAO Abbreviations and Codes Doc 8755 - Air Navigation Plan - North Atlantic, North American and Pacific Regions
Doc 9731 - IAMSAR Manual

3.6.2   Area of responsibility

The Search and Rescue Service comprises two Search and Rescue Regions (SRR’s):

• The Lisboa Search and Rescue Region which coincides with Lisboa FIR limits as described in ENR 2.1
• The Santa Maria Search and Rescue Region which coincides with Santa Maria Oceanic FIR as described in ENR 2.1 para 2.1.5.

The Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) for Lisboa Search and Rescue Region is located at the Comando Aéreo which Postal and Telegraphic (AFTN) addresses are given in 3.6.1.1.1 above.

The Rescue Coordination Centre for Santa Maria Search and Rescue Region is located at Lajes Aerodrome, Terceira Island - Açores, which Postal and Telegraphic (AFTN) addresses are given in 3.6.1.1.2 above.

3.6.3   Types of services

Details of the rescue coordination centres and related rescue units are given in 3.6.1.1.1 and 3.6.1.1.2 above.

In addition, various elements of the State police organization, merchant marine, armed forces, rural guard, fire and ambulance services, and life boats of the National Lifeboat Institute are available for search and rescue missions when required. The aeronautical, maritimes and public telecommunication services are available to the search and rescue organization.

3.6.4   SAR agreements

Requests for the entry of aircraft, equipment and personnel from other States to engage in Search for aircraft in distress or to rescue survivors of aircraft accidents should be transmitted to the Rescue Coordination Centre (through ATC). Instructions as to the control which will be exercised on entry of such aircraft and/or personnel will be given by the RCC.

3.6.5   Conditions of availability

Head of National Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue is the Ministry of Defence.
National Aeronautical Search and Rescue Service is organized in accordance with ICAO standards and recommended practices and is established on the scope of Portuguese Air Force.
All facilities that are available for search and rescue are specialized and trained in SAR techniques.

All air SAR facilities are under the authority of the appropriate RCC which remains responsible for operational control of such facilities throughout the duration of SAR operations:

• Whether the responsibility for SAR operations lay on a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) or an Air RCC.
• whether air facilities are military or civil, national or foreign.

Contact the appropriate RCC for information on conditions of availability.

3.6.6   Procedures and signals used

1. Procedures

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

2. Communications

Transmission and reception of distress and urgency messages within the Lisboa and Santa Maria SRRs are handled in accordance with Annex 10, Vol. II, Chapter 5, Para. 5.3.

For communications during SAR operations, the codes and abbreviations published in ICAO DOC 8400 (Codes and Abbreviations) are used;

Information concerning positions, call signs, frequencies and hours of operation on portuguese aeronautical stations and DF stations are published in the AD 2.18 sections of Lisboa and Santa Maria aerodromes.

The frequency 121.500 MHZ is guarded continuously at all Area Control Centres and Flight Information Centres. It is also available at Lisboa and Santa Maria Approach Control Offices. In addition, the Aerodrome Control Towers serving international aerodromes and international alternate aerodromes will, on request, guard the frequency 121.500 MHZ. All coastal stations guard the international distress frequencies.

Military radar station, radio call sign BATINA, guards 121.500 MHZ and 243.000 MHZ continuously.

Rescue aircraft belonging to permanent SAR units use the call-sign “RESCUE” followed by the last 2 digits of the given SSR code during rescue operations. SSR codes for Portugal are 7720 to 7727.

3. Search and rescue signals

The search and rescue signals to be used those prescribed in Annex 12, Chapter 5, Para. 5.10. and shown in the following tables.

Ground air visual signal code for use by survivors

No	Message	Code symbol
1	Require assistance
2	Require medical assistance
3	No or Negative
4	Yes or affirmative
5	Proceeding in this direction
6	In doubt use the International symbol:

Ground-air visual signal code for use by rescue units

No	Message	Code symbol
1	Operation completed
2	We have found all personnel
3	We have found only some personnel
4	We are not able to continue. Returning to base
5	Have divided into two groups. Each proceeding in direction indicated
6	Information received that aircraft is in this direction
7	Nothing found. Will continue to search
Symbols shall be at least 2,5m (8ft) long and shall be made as conspicuous as possible. Note 1. Symbols may be formed by any means such as: strips of fabric, parachute material, pieces of wood, stones or such like material, marking the surface by tramping or staining with oil, etc. Note 2. Attention to the above signals may be attracted by other means such as radio, flares, smoke and reflected light.

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