Maritime Search and Rescue

The responsibility of co-ordinating all maritime search and rescue
operations within a sea area of 450 000 square kilometres of the South
China Sea, as agreed internationally, is undertaken by the Marine
Department, whose Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre is manned 24
hours a day by professionally-trained staff. The centre is one of the few
fully operational shore-based radio stations of the Global Maritime
Distress and Safety System. Calling upon resources provided by other
government departments, the centre provides an effective and efficient
search and rescue service in the region.

During 1997, the centre handled 260 cases of notified vessel emergency,
of which 52 developed into search and rescue operations. A total of 178
lives were saved.

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