Sharjah24: Cheryl Bertoia, Principal Operations Officer at COSPAS-SARSAT, emphasised on the sidelines of the 39th COSPAS-SARSAT Joint Committee Meeting, which has begun in Abu Dhabi, that the meeting is vital for advancing and upgrading life-saving satellite and ground systems worldwide.
The 39th COSPAS-SARSAT Joint Committee Meeting has begun in Abu Dhabi, hosted for the first time by the UAE. Organised by the National Search and Rescue Centre (NSRC), the event runs from May 27 to June 5, 2025, gathering over 200 international experts.
The meeting aims to enhance global cooperation in satellite-based search and rescue efforts, with participation from over 45 countries and major international organisations such as ICAO, IMO, and ITU.
Through the COSPAS-SARSAT programme, the UAE is playing a proactive role in building strategic partnerships and sharing expertise to support global humanitarian and life-saving missions.
Bertoia said the committee would discuss integrating the MEOSAR satellite system, which supports navigation systems like GPS, Galileo, and BeiDou, into COSPAS-SARSAT operations.
She added that they plan to introduce two-way communication with distress beacons, allowing users to exchange signals with rescue coordination centres.
Bertoia praised the UAE's support, stating that the country’s facilities are enabling an efficient and productive meeting focused on advancing life-saving technologies.
She noted the UAE’s proposal to incorporate AI in search and rescue efforts and expressed the organisation’s interest in learning more and potentially integrating these technologies into COSPAS-SARSAT’s operations.
The meeting is expected to yield significant results that will enhance international coordination and support technological capabilities in emergency response.
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