The Full-scale search and rescue exercise SAREX-03/2026 was conducted under conditions closely simulating a real aviation accident involving a large number of casualties. The exercise covered the entire sequence of response activities, from locating the aircraft to evacuating simulated victims and providing assistance to their simulated family members.

According to the exercise scenario, the simulated accident site was located approximately 100 km from Almaty International Airport in the Tamgaly-Tas area along the Ili River. The exercise involved personnel and equipment from the Rescue Coordination Centre of Kazaeronavigatsia, search and rescue helicopter crews of Kazaviaspas and the Aviation Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, emergency response units of the Departments for Emergency Situations of Almaty and Shymkent, Almaty and Zhetysu Region, healthcare services and the Disaster Medicine Centre of Almaty Region and Shymkent, as well as Shymkent Airport emergency services.

The primary objective of SAREX-03/2026 was to assess the readiness of search and rescue resources, strengthen coordination among government authorities, emergency response agencies, airport services and other organizations involved in search and rescue operations, and to validate crisis management procedures in the event of an aviation accident.

Particular attention was given to the coordination of all levels of the search and rescue system, including emergency notification and operational coordination; search and location of the simulated aircraft; deployment of rescue teams and provision of first aid; evacuation of casualties by air and ground transport; activation of the «Shymkent Airport Emergency Plan»; and the deployment of the «Emergency Operations Center (EOC)» and the «Family Assistance Center (FAC)». The exercise also tested interagency coordination, information sharing, support for simulated relatives of victims, and the coordination of all participating services in accordance with the Airport Emergency Plan.

For the first time, delegates from the Civil Aviation Agency of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic participated in a full-scale SAREX exercise as observers. Their participation provided an opportunity to exchange best practices and strengthen regional cooperation in aviation search and rescue.

The exercise also included activation of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan Emergency Response Plan, during which the readiness of its structural divisions was assessed, including procedures for collecting, processing and monitoring information received throughout the exercise.

Conducting such full-scale exercises is an important component of Kazakhstan's implementation of its international obligations in the field of civil aviation in accordance with the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as set out in Annex 12 – Search and Rescue and Annex 9 – Facilitation to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

The exercise confirmed the readiness of Kazakhstan's National aviation search and rescue system and demonstrated the effectiveness of mechanisms for providing assistance to victims of aviation accidents and their family members.