Search and rescue operations

If you are in distress at sea, notify emergency number 112.

Aeronautical and maritime rescue activities encompass cooperation between governmental authorities and state agencies administered by them, local governments, private companies and voluntary organisations in the event of a maritime or aviation accident or other emergency situations that might occur in Estonia. People in distress must be found and rescued in the shortest possible time.

Search and rescue (SAR) is carried out in Estonia in flight information region Tallinn FIR in accordance with the corresponding international agreement.Aeronautical and maritime rescue is organised as agreed internationally and nationally.

• Estonia's search and rescue region's aviation and maritime rescue plan
• SAR co-operation plan

Estonian search and rescue region

The grey line denotes the Tallinn FIR, i.e. the boundary of Estonia’s search and rescue region, the blue line the boundary of the territorial sea, and the green line the boundary of the exclusive economic zone.

Aeronautical and Maritime Rescue in Estonia

According to the Police and Border Guard Act, the Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB) performs search and rescue operations in the Estonian rescue region. The PBGB Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC Tallinn) is responsible for the coordination and management of aeronautical and maritime rescue in the Estonian search and rescue region in the event of an aviation or maritime accident. The JRCC’s task is to receive emergency notifications, to respond and inform the relevant units of what has happened, and to dispatch assistance. Depending on the situation, watercraft and aircraft are notified.

Search and rescue operations are carried out under the responsibility of an appropriately trained official working at JRCC Tallinn, who will oversee the course of events from beginning to end, when all survivors have been rescued and delivered to a place of safety, or when, taking into account all the circumstances and factors affecting the event, further search for those in distress will no longer produce results.

The resources employed in maritime rescue events are as follows:

• Readiness operational resource (basic resource): the Police and Border Guard Board, the Estonian Rescue Board, Estonian Air Navigation Services, the Navy, ambulance service providers
• Resource to be mobilised (auxiliary resource): hospitals, operators, voluntary maritime rescue associations
• Supporting resource (auxiliary resource): Defence Forces of Estonia, the Defence League, voluntary organisations