The Icelandic Coast Guard is responsible for and supervises search and rescue of aircraft that are considered to be in danger, have crashed or are missing. The Coast Guard is responsible for on scene coordination for accidents at sea, but Icelandic Chief of Police on land. The designated COSPAS-SARSAT (SPOC) for Iceland is the JRCC (Joint Rescue Coordination Centre).
The address for communication with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC):
Adjacent RCC'S and method of communication with them:
Bodo (ENBOYCYX) - AFTN teletype
Telex 64293 rccn n
Telephone: +47 755 59 000
Stavanger (ENZVYCYV) - AFTN teletype
Telex 33163 rccs n
Telephone: +47 515 17 000
UK ARCC
Telephone: +44 344 382 0807
UK MRCC
Telephone: +44 0344 382 0025
Halifax
Telephone: +1 902 427 8200
Nuuk (BGGHYCYC) - AFTN teletype
Telex 90828
Telephone: +299 363 304
The service is provided in accordance with provisions contained in the following applicable Documents:
ICAO Annex 12 - Search and Rescue
Annex 13 - Aircraft Accident and Incident investigation
Doc 7030 - Regional Supplementary
Procedures for Alerting and Search and Rescue Services applicable in the NAT Region. (ENR 1.8).
The Icelandic SAR is responsible for SAR operations within the area defined below:
SAR Area:
730000N 0200000W, 730000N 0000000W,
610000N 0000000W, 610000N 0300000W,
583000N 0300000W, 583000N 0430000W,
633000N 0390000W, 700000N 0200000W,
730000N 0200000W.
730000N 0200000W, 730000N 0000000W,
610000N 0000000W, 610000N 0300000W,
583000N 0300000W, 583000N 0430000W,
633000N 0390000W, 700000N 0200000W,
730000N 0200000W.
Search and rescue operations within land areas of Iceland are carried out in cooperation with various well organized and trained land rescue teams and the local magistrates or sheriffs.
Requests for entry of aircraft, equipment and personnel from other States, wishing to engage in search for aircraft in distress or to rescue survivors of aircraft accidents, should be transmitted to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC).
Search and Rescue operations over ocean areas are carried out by Icelandic state owned aircraft and Coast Guard vessels when required. The aeronautical, maritime and public telecommunication services are available to the search and rescue organization.
When a pilot-in-command observers that either another aircraft or a surface craft is in distress, he shall, unless he is unable, or in circumstances of the case considers it unreasonable or unnecessary:
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report to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) and Area Control Centre as much of the following information as possible:
- type of craft in distress, its identification and condition
- its position, expressed in geographical coordinates or in distance and true bearing from a distinctive landmark or from a radio navigation aid;
- time of observation expressed in hours and minutes UTC;
- number of persons observed;
- whether persons have been seen to abandon the craft in distress;
- number of persons observed to be afloat;
- Apparent physical condition of survivors;
If the first aircraft to reach the scene of an accident is not a search and rescue aircraft it shall take charge of on scene activities of all other aircraft subsequently arriving until the first search and rescue aircraft reaches the scene of the accident. If in the meantime, such aircraft is unable to establish communication with JRCC or air traffic services unit, it shall by mutual agreement, hand over to an aircraft capable of establishing and maintaining such communications until the arrival of the first search and rescue aircraft.
When it is necessary for an aircraft to direct a surface craft to the place where an aircraft or surface craft is in distress, the aircraft shall do so by transmitting precise instructions by any means at its disposal. If no radio communications can be established the aircraft shall perform the following maneuvers in sequence:
Repetition of such manoeuvres has the same meaning.
The following manoeuvre by an aircraft means that the assistance of the surface craft to which the signal is directed is no longer required:
When it is necessary for an aircraft to convey information to survivors or surface rescue units, and two-way communication is not available, it shall, if practicable, drop communication equipment that would enable direct contact to be established, or convey the information by dropping the message.
When a ground signal has been displayed, the aircraft shall indicate whether the signal has been understood or not by the means described in the paragraph above or, if this is not practicable, by use of the following procedure:
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Whenever a distress signal and/or message or equivalent transmission is intercepted on radiotelegraphy or radiotelephony by a pilot-in- command of an aircraft, he shall:
- record the position of the craft in distress if given;
- if possible take a bearing of the transmission;
- inform the appropriate Rescue Coordination Centre or air traffic services unit of the distress transmission, giving all available information;
- at his discretion, while awaiting instructions, proceed to the position given in the transmission.
Transmission and reception of distress messages within the Iceland search and rescue area are handled in accordance with para 5.3, Chapter 5, Volume II of ICAO Annex 10.
For communications during search and rescue operations, the codes and abbreviations published in ICAO Codes and Abbreviations (Doc 8400) are used.
Information concerning position, call signs, frequencies, and hours of operation of Icelandic aeronautical stations is published in AIP Iceland chapter ENR 4.
Aeronautical stations will, on request, guard the international emergency frequency 121.5 MHz. Numerous coastal radio stations and RCC´s guard the International distress frequency 2182 KHz.
If it is necessary for an aircraft to contact a surface rescue team use 123.1 MHz.
Instructions for Use:
Note.:
It is preferable to use the International Ground Air Emergency Code. The symbols can be made larger and hence more recognizable from the air.
Paulins should be folded to form the signals shown. A paulin is also an extremely valuable survival shelter, poncho, ground shed, sleeping bag cover, sunshade, or rain collector.