Alert*** FEBRUARY 1, 2009 Cospas-Sarsat ceased coverage

of 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz Emergency Beacons

- Click here for more information

-Pilots are reminded and encouraged to monitor 121.5 MHz from their cockpit

to listen for other aircraft that may be in distress.

COSPAS-SARSAT Rescues as of:

November 20, 2009

Number of Persons Rescued (To Date) in the United States: 174

- Rescues at sea: 136 people rescued in 55 incidents

- Aviation rescues: 8 person rescued in 5 incident

- PLB rescues: 30 people rescued in 23 incidents

· Worldwide – Over 26,800+ People Rescued (since 1982)

· United States – 6,213 People Rescued (since 1982)

Total Rescues in 2008: 282

- Rescues at sea: 202 people rescued in 65 incidents

- Aviation rescues: 12 people rescued in 7 incidents

- PLB rescues: 68 people rescued in 35 incidents

**February 1, 2009 ended an era**

121.5 and 243 MHz emergency beacons are no longer monitored

by satellites as of February 1, 2009 - Get the fix… Switch to 406

– Click here to find out more -

Current Press Releases

SARSAT Makes 6,000^th Rescue in U.S. 

Click here to read NOAA’s latest Press Release From October 31, 2008

121.5 MHz EPIRBs became illegal to operate on January 1, 2007

Click here to read the USCG Press Release *

*Will take you to a non-government web-site

Around the world...around the clock...NOAA proudly stands watch.  As an integral part of worldwide search and rescue, NOAA operates the Search And Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) System to detect and locate mariners, aviators, and recreational enthusiasts in distress almost anywhere in the world at anytime and in almost any condition. 

The SARSAT system uses NOAA satellites in low-earth and geostationary orbits to detect and locate aviators, mariners, and land-based users in distress. The satellites relay distress signals from emergency beacons to a network of ground stations and ultimately to the U.S. Mission Control Center (USMCC) in Suitland, Maryland. The USMCC processes the distress signal and alerts the appropriate search and rescue authorities to who is in distress and, more importantly, where they are located. Truly, SARSAT takes the "search" out of search and rescue!

NOAA-SARSAT is a part of the international Cospas-Sarsat Program to which 38 nations and two independent SAR organizations belong to. To find out more about SARSAT please feel free to explore our website. We hope you enjoy your visit! 

SARSAT - A Lifeline To Survival!