Maritime SAR

Nearly 100 years after the founding of the international association of maritime rescue services from around the world, the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) hosted the XXIV World Maritime Rescue Congress (WMRC). Two rescue units of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) and a historic rowing rescue boat participated in the comprehensive exchange of ideas and experiences from June 18 to 20 in Rotterdam. The host was the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (KNRM), the Dutch sister society of the DGzRS.

Translated video description: "On Sunday morning 19/03/2023, the VBZR had the opportunity to conduct an exercise with the NH-90 helicopter of 40SQN - Koksijde Base, under the direction of the MRCC (Maritime Rescue and Coordination Center). During this exercise a winching was performed on the Sterken Dries. This exercise is certainly interesting so the rescuers know what a winching at sea means during a real intervention."

I'll post the Top 10 most upvoted videos from the r/maritimeSAR subreddit over the next days.

Translated video description:

On Wednesday, Oct. 27 in the morning, the VBZR was called by the Coast Guard for a missing dinghy with 24 refugees on board near the wind farm. One of the passengers had panicked by cell phone himself notified the emergency services after floating around in the North Sea for two days. Several emergency services rushed to the scene. The position was confirmed by an overflying aircraft. Together with the police vessel SPN09, helicopter Koksijde, Sterken Dries was the first to arrive at the scene.

The medic from the helicopter was winched aboard Straffe Hendrik to do triage with our crew. 24 people on board, including 4 hypothermic, were taken aboard our rescue boat. Some were taken away by helicopter, the others were dropped off on the naval vessel Pollux.

Sterken Dries towed the abandoned dinghy to the naval base in Zeebrugge after which a satisfied crew set sail for Blankenberge. A successful cooperation between the navy, the police the 40th and MRCC

Especially interesting is description of the lifeboat design and engineering to provide a safe rescue platform in tough conditions.

"In strong winds and rough seas, sea rescuers from the Gelting, Langballigau and Olpenitz stations rescued seven people from danger on the Baltic Sea at the end of April 2023. Three rescue units of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) were deployed together to bring a 14-meter sailing yacht and its crew safely to port after the mast broke."