NOAA Satellites Save 318 Lives At Sea In 2024 Through Search & Rescue Network

In 2024, NOAA satellites, which provide timely access to global environmental data from satellites and other sources, saved 411 people from life-threatening situations across the U.S. and nearby waters.

The same satellites also tracked Hurricanes Helene and Milton and followed the moon’s shadow during the Total Solar Eclipse.

The satellites are part of a global search and rescue network called COSPAS-SARSAT. This system uses a network of U.S. and international satellites to detect emergency signals from 406MHz beacons.

These beacons are carried on boats, aircraft, or even as handheld Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs).

Since it began in 1982, COSPAS-SARSAT has supported over 50,000 rescues worldwide, including 10,871 rescues in the U.S. and surrounding waters.

Of the 411 rescues in 2024, 318 people were saved from emergencies at sea, 41 from aviation accidents, and 52 from incidents on land. Florida had the highest number of rescues with 122, followed by Alaska with 56 and Hawaii with 31.

The record for the most rescues in a single year in the U.S. remains at 421, set in 2019.

When a distress beacon is activated, NOAA’s satellites detect the signal and send the coordinates to the SARSAT Mission Control Center in Maryland.

From there, the information is sent to either the U.S. Coast Guard, which handles rescues at sea, or the U.S. Air Force, which manages rescues on land. NOAA also works with international partners to help with global rescues.

Some of the incidents of how NOAA saved lives last year were:

In June, Florida, a fishing boat started sinking 30 miles southwest of Venice, Florida. Eight people onboard activated their PLB, which helped the U.S. Coast Guard locate them after linking it with a nearby Mayday call.

In another incident, two military helicopters collided during a training exercise near Fallon, Nevada with five people onboard each on August 16.

Emergency signals from the helicopters alerted the Air Force, which coordinated with U.S. Naval Air Station Fallon. All 10 people were rescued and taken to a hospital.

A fishing vessel broke down off the coast of Florida during Hurricane Milton on October 9. The captain survived the night by staying in a fishing cooler with a life vest and the vessel’s emergency beacon.

Once the storm passed, the U.S. Coast Guard found him using the beacon’s signal and brought him to safety.

By law, all 406MHz beacons must be registered with NOAA. Registration ensures rescuers have the information they need to respond quickly and efficiently. It also reduces false alarms and helps identify what kind of assistance is required.

Steve Volz, the assistant administrator at NOAA, credited the success of the SARSAT program to strong teamwork between NOAA, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Air Force, NASA, and international partners. “Each life saved proves the value of this program,” he said.

Reference: NOAA

Source: Maritime Shipping News