Programme
Date	Time	Event	Location
5/10/2012 (Fri)	1010 – 1115 LT	Coordination Meeting with Local Government Departments: CAS, FSD, GFS, Marine Department & Marine Police.	Rm408, ATC Complex
2/11/2012 (Fri)	1000 - 1200 LT	Exercise Meeting with PLA (Air force & Navy)	Rm 6T087, Passenger Terminal Building, HKIA
13/11/2012 (Tue)	1015 – 1215 LT	2nd Exercise Coordination Meeting with PLA (Air force & Navy) and GFS	Rm 6T087, Passenger Terminal Building, HKIA
7/12/2012 (Fri)	1030 -1115 LT	Short Range Sea Rescue exercise	Sai Kung Port Shelter, Hong Kong
	1445 - 1530 LT	Exercise review meeting	CAD HQ Conference Room

1) Introduction

Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department organized its 2012 annual Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) on 7 December 2012. The objective of the SAREX was to provide continuation training and familiarization for search and rescue qualified air traffic controllers, aircrews, SAR units and PLA Garrison HK (air force and navy). It also provided an opportunity for parties involved in such operation to test their alerting, co-ordination and communication procedures/facilities. Representatives from other Government Departments and Mainland China were invited as well as observers.

2) Short Range Search and Rescue Exercise

Scenario

A R44 helicopter departed Shek Kong for Port Shelter with 3 persons on board, reported engines on fire and ditched in Port Shelter area. The Control Tower at HKIA immediately alerted the relevant SAR Units for search and rescue mission.

3) Participants

Civil Aviation Department

• Overall command and coordination of the Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) 2012.

People's Liberation Army (PLA) HK Garrison

• One naval ship
• Two helicopters ( Z8 & Z9)

Government Flying Service (GFS)

• 1 fixed wing aircraft Jetstream JS41 as on-scene coordinator
• 2 helicopters (1 AS-332 L2 Super Puma & 1 EC155) in the short range rescue demonstration.

Marine Police (MARPOL)

• 2 police launches (1 as command boat and 1 for transportation of observers)
• small speed boats for logistic support &
• Control of surface vessels in the exercise area

Fire Service Department (FSD)

• A Fire boat to put out fire of simulated wreckage
• Divers to carry out under water search for survivors
• One dummy survivor for under water rescue

Marine Department (MD)

• Issued navigational warning to mariners

Civil Aids Service (CAS)

• Provided a simulated survivor for the SAREX

Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS)

• Provided first aid service to SAREX participants on media and observers' boats

Hong Kong Observatory (HKO)

• Provided meteorological information for the exercise

4) Media Arrangement

• Reporters were arranged on board the media vessel to carry out photography and filming of the Short Range SAREX.
• PLA photographer was also arranged on board the command boat for taking photos.

5) Communication

• The communication language between command boat and aircraft/vessel was primarily English with Putonghua as backup if situation warrants.
• VHF 123.1 MHz was the primary frequency for air-ground communication
• Marine channels 62 or 64 were used for vessel communication.

6) Exercise Review Meeting

All representatives and participants of SAREX units attended the review meeting from 1445 to 1530 LT in CAD HQ Conference Room.