Search and rescue coordination exercises were conducted in the East Kazakhstan Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan with the support of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and together with the crew and representatives of Kazaviaspas on duty in the East Kazakhstan search and Rescue area, the search and rescue coordination center and the air traffic service of the Kazaeronavigation branch in Ust-Kamenogorsk, the ground search and rescue forces of the Emergency Situations Department of the East Kazakhstan region, the emergency rescue team of the Ust-Kamenogorsk airfield conducted coordination exercises within search and rescue operation.

Exercise Legend:

The AN-2 aircraft was flying Ust-Kamenogorsk – Aksuat and after takeoff reported unstable engine operation and the decision to land outside the airfield on the highway.

During the exercises, the above-mentioned services practiced the methodology of interaction during search and rescue operations, methods of searching for victims, selection of landing sites for search and rescue aircraft and victims evacuation. The Mi-8 helicopter on duty of Kazaviaspas with rescuers and medical workers on board was involved in the exercises. A distinctive feature of these exercises was the involvement of ground search and rescue forces of the Emergency Situations in the East Kazakhstan, which made it possible to practice elements of actions coordination of the air and ground components of the search and rescue forces and means on duty.

In general, it is noted that such exercises are an element of the national search and rescue flight support system established on the basis of ICAO Annex 12 "Search and Rescue". Such system functions as a result of interaction of public administration bodies (defense, emergencies and civil aviation), search and rescue forces and various organizations.  The purpose of the system is to take prompt response measures (the Golden hour rule) during an aviation accidents and catastrophes to rescue passengers and crew. For this purpose, operational regional plans for search and rescue exercises have been developed throughout the country, search and rescue teams have been deployed at the airfields, whose actions are coordinated at the national level.

Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan thanks all organizations that took part in the exercises.