Navy Search and Rescue was called out in almost one incident a day
By First Lieutenant (RM2-T) Daniela Meireles – Brasília, DF
Seeing his friends screaming for help in the middle of the rough sea, after being thrown from their boat by a violent wave, is a scene that still haunts fisherman Deivid Luiz Monteiro Ferreira. He was one of the six survivors of the sinking of the boat “Safadi Seif” in June last year in Santa Catarina. “I won’t forget it for the rest of my life,” he says. He was found alone, clinging to a buoy, by the Search and Rescue Service of the Brazilian Navy (MB), 48 hours after that episode.
After being notified of the vessel’s disappearance, the Naval Force immediately activated the Rescue Coordination Center, Salvamar Brasil, employing the Patrol Vessels “Babitonga” and “Benevente” and two UH-15 Super Cougar helicopters. One of the aircraft was the one that located Deivid, about 200km off the coast of Santa Catarina. He says he threw himself into the sea in an attempt to save his two companions, who were struggling in the water. “The cyclone grew ten meters away from us and it was very fast. There was no time for anything,” he recalls.
The fisherman is one of 754 survivors of maritime and river accidents recorded in 2023, according to data from the Maritime Operations and Protection of the Blue Amazon Command (COMPAAz), which oversees the MB’s Search and Rescue Service. Cases like Deivid’s were the ones that generated the most SAR (Search and Rescue) incidents – 33% of the 295 incidents corresponded to “man overboard” (which, despite the nomenclature, includes inland and coastal waters) and 94% involved small vessels of up to a thousand tons.
Behind the scenes of rescues
Despite the constant monitoring carried out by the Captaincies, Police Stations and Agencies, in order to guarantee the safety of navigation, there are factors that go beyond the Navy’s control and influence the number of occurrences. “The number of events of this nature can change depending on various factors, such as technical faults in vessels, human factors and weather issues,” says COMPAAz’s Relief and Rescue Section Officer, Frigate Captain Gustavo Lemos.
On the front line of rescue work, ships and aircraft are guided by a robust structure for collecting and sharing information, which allows them to quickly locate both victims and nearby vessels in a position to provide support. The data, provided by the boats and ships to COMPAAz and registered in the Maritime Traffic Information System (SISTRAM), supports the decisions of the regional Rescue Coordination Centers (Salvamar).
Another resource used by COMPAAz, according to Frigate Captain Gustavo Lemos, is the SAR Decision Support Planning System (SPAD-SAR), which applies computer modeling techniques and advanced computer algorithms to the planning of search and rescue operations. “It’s worth mentioning that SPAD-SAR was fundamental to the speed with which the search plans were drawn up and the accuracy of the drift data for greater accuracy in defining the search areas,” he says, referring to the case of the “Safadi Seif”.
“The Brazilian Navy mobilizes its resources or requests support from nearby vessels depending on the location, the type of incident, the weather conditions and the number of victims. There is also a cooperation agreement between the FAB and the MB for SAR incidents in which it is necessary to use resources from both forces. Depending on the incident, the assistance of auxiliary forces may also be requested,” explains the head of the COMPAAz Rescue Section.
“There is no excuse for losing a life due to lack of preparation”
In situations like that of the “Safadi Seif”, the MB usually employs scuba divers, who are technically trained to rescue from various means and structures, from boats to helicopters. According to the Rescue Swimming Instructor at the Admiral Áttila Monteiro Aché Training and Instruction Center (CIAMA), First Sergeant João Marcello Sarzedas Lansillote, who took part in the YouTube series “That’s the Navy”, one of the essential factors for a successful rescue is professional preparation.
“During the course, students are subjected to various simulations. Physical conditioning and psychological preparation are basic foundations in the diver’s training, as the activity exposes them to the forces and dynamics of nature in its many diversities, which requires planning, use of equipment and execution of techniques, each for a specific context,” says First Sergeant Lansillote, adding that diving influences changes in habits, such as diet, study and continued training.
In the YouTube video, the CIAMA instructor is very strict in his physical training of the students: “If there is a victim in the water, they are waiting for you to be able to rescue them. Do you understand the seriousness of our preparation?” asks a student, in one of the excerpts posted on the Navy’s Instagram page, which was one of the most liked and commented on last year. “It’s no joke here! There’s no excuse for losing a life due to lack of preparation,” she says.
SOS at sea
The most common channel for reporting a SAR incident is telephone number 185, which is free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the country. It was through this number that the relatives of the crew of the “Safadi Seif” informed MB about the accident. “Once Salvamar Brasil receives the request, the request is forwarded to the regional Salvamar responsible for the location where the emergency is taking place, which coordinates the SAR incident,” explains Frigate Captain Gustavo Lemos.
Salvamar Brasil also responds to incidents signaled by the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), which uses satellite technology to issue rapid and automatic distress alerts around the world. Its use is mandatory for ships on international voyages or in the open sea, with cargo of 300 tons or more and for those carrying more than 12 passengers. The rule also applies to Brazilian vessels, due to international agreements to which the country is a signatory.
Everyone does their part
Simple preventive actions taken by crews can save lives and avoid the extreme need for SAR. “The correct use of life-saving equipment, the use by the maritime and fluvial community of vessels in ready-to-use condition and the checking of bad weather warnings before going to sea or crossing rivers are essential measures if we are to have safe sailing conditions throughout the Brazilian maritime and fluvial SAR area,” says Frigate Captain Gustavo Lemos.
Boat captains can also use the free NAVSEG app, developed by MB in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism. The technology allows captains to register the vessel’s data and share their travel plan before setting sail. In this way, the Maritime Authority is able to locate any vessel in danger more quickly and speed up the dispatch of help to people in the same situation as fisherman Deivid Ferreira.
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias *** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***