Cospas-Sarsat

International Cospas-Sarsat Programme

Programme International Cospas-Sarsat (French)

Международная Программа Коспас-Сарсат (Russian)

Established	1 July 1988 (definitive agreement signed; preceding memorandum of understanding signed 5 October 1984)
Type	Intergovernmental Organization
Headquarters	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Membership	43 "Participant" States and Agencies Algeria** Argentina** Australia** Brazil** Canada* Chile** China** Cyprus** Denmark Finland France* Germany Greece** India*** Indonesia** Italy** Japan** Korea** Malaysia** Netherlands New Zealand** Nigeria Norway** Pakistan** Peru** Poland Russian Federation* Saudi Arabia** Serbia Singapore** South Africa** Spain** Sweden Switzerland Thailand** Tunisia Turkey** United Arab Emirates** United Kingdom** United States* Viet Nam** Hong Kong, China, Marine Department** International Telecommunication Development Company (Chinese Taipei)** *Party State, and Space- and Ground-Segment Provider **Ground-Segment Provider ***Space- and Ground-Segment Provider Additionally, although not State Participants, the European Union, through its Galileo Programe, is a Space- and Ground-Segment Provider, and EUMETSAT is a Space-Segment Provider
Official language	English French Russian
Head of Secretariat	Steven Lett
Council Chair (rotating)	Andrey Kuropyatnikov (Russian Federation)
Website	www.cospas-sarsat.int

Additionally, although not State Participants, the European Union, through its Galileo Programe, is a Space- and Ground-Segment Provider, and EUMETSAT is a Space-Segment Provider

The International Cospas-Sarsat Programme is a treaty-based, nonprofit, intergovernmental, humanitarian cooperative of 43 nations and agencies (see box on right) dedicated to detecting and locating radio beacons activated by persons, aircraft or vessels in distress, and forwarding this alert information to authorities that can take action for rescue. The system utilizes a network of satellites that provide coverage anywhere on Earth. Distress alerts are detected, located and forwarded to over 200 countries and territories at no cost to beacon owners or the receiving government agencies. Cospas-Sarsat was conceived and initiated by Canada, France, the United States, and the former Soviet Union in 1979. The first rescue using the technology of Cospas-Sarsat occurred in September 1982. The definitive agreement of the organization was signed on 1 July 1988.

Cospas-Sarsat is best known as the system that detects and locates emergency beacons activated by aircraft, ships and people engaged in recreational activities in remote areas, and then sends these distress alerts to search-and-rescue (SAR) authorities. Distress beacons capable of being detected by the Cospas-Sarsat System (406-MHz beacons) are available from several manufacturers and vendor chains. Cospas-Sarsat does not make or sell beacons.

Between September 1982 and December 2015 the Cospas-Sarsat System provided assistance in rescuing at least 41,750 persons in 11,788 SAR events. In 2014 and 2015 (the latest year for which statistics have been compiled), Cospas-Sarsat assistance included the following:

These statistics under-report the events where Cospas-Sarsat assisted, because they only include events when an accurate report from SAR personnel is provided back through reporting channels to the Cospas-Sarsat Secretariat.