In pursuance of the plan of activities relating to forces preparation approved by Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army, for the year 2024, the Territory Air Defense Forces Command directed on May 7th 2024, a Search and Rescue exercise of an aircraft in distress, in a desert region located in the Wilaya of Ghardaia/ 4th MR called “SAREX-2024”.
Observers from different civil and militarystructures of the said Wilaya were a part of this exercise.
The aim from the organization of “Sarex 2024” is to test the civilian and military authorities’ disaster response, also oversee the implementation of the National Search and Rescue Plan, with the assessment of the Search and Rescue operation management and coordination.
The scenario of the Sarex 2024 consists in simulating the disappearance of a civilian aircraft from the radar screens due to a technical failure and the triggering of the alert system by the air traffic control organizations.
After what, the Main Search and Rescue Coordination Center will draw up and send a search and rescue operation plan to military and civilian structures involved with the application of the National Search and Rescue Plan, it will also activate the Search and Rescue phase of emergency.
After the delineation of the search region by the Search and Rescue Coordination Center and following the Search and Rescue plan that will be sent to the Air Forces Operation Center , an aerial vector which fall within the Air Forces Command will be involved in searching and locating the wreck of the missing aircraft.
Once the crash site found, the Wali of Gardaia, who is the competent authority will implement the plan, by activating modules related to air disaster and the establishment of fixed and operational Command Posts, as well as the use of appropriate search and rescue means.
It has to be noted that the exercise has been performed with success and has achieved its goals, which consist in valuing acquired knowledge, exchanging experiences and also the assessment of readiness level of the participants when addressing this type of hazard.
