Tonga conducted its first maritime search and rescue exercise Featured
2 November, 2018. A successful Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise led by Tonga Police and supported by key partners was held on Monday 26th of November 2018, with the objectives of testing weaknesses and strengths within the Tonga National Search and Rescue Plan.
This is the first time that a full scale Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise has been held in Tonga, with multi-agency participation.
The Full Scale Exercise was held on the water north of Nuku‟alofa with the Command centre at Police Headquarters.
The exercise scenario was designed to test the interoperability of command, control and communication as well as logistical support in a multi-agency response to a sinking passenger ferry (MV „Otuanga‟ofa).
Taumoeapeau also commended the participation of all Government key Ministries, Non-Government Agencies, individual ship owners and others who heard about the exercise and wanted to participate.
“Everyone now has a clearer understanding of the importance of a Search and Rescue situation of this magnitude.
Police Search and Rescue National Commander A/Deputy Commissioner „Atunaisa Taumoepeau says, “We face unique challenges when it comes to maritime search and rescue especially with the way our small Islands are spread over the ocean.
All key agencies need to be working together to build our capability and resilience to any disaster or emergency, big or small.
We identified some opportunities to improve and that was the whole point of the exercise.
Preparation is key and it is important that we have the right knowledge, experience and equipment, and most importantly the right people in the right role to meet any challenges.
We need to maintain and build the capability to respond quickly and professionally in a coordinated manner to any eventuality. Our business is to save lives.”
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Speaking from experience the problems most confronting to search and rescue in Tongan waters is the distance . A boat with fishermen on board has to travel out into open waters miles from land , accidents happen boats overturned , someone lost overboard ! engine trouble ! radios for help ; How soon will help arrive ? What type of assistance is required ? Almost all boating tragedy occurs on voyages between islands and because Tonga is scattered within a vast open sea between islands it poses a dilemma for search and rescue efforts . Fast response is of essence for a search and rescue mission to arrive in time to save lives or it will be too late and lives will be lost . There will be cases where rescue will not culminate in a happy ending , but ! in recovering bodies from the scene of a sinking is worth the effort both for the rescue party and especially for the families . Air surveillance would greatly enhance the chances of a search and rescue mission being successful . Rescue ships should be stationed in such a way as to be able to cover a certain area very quickly around the three main islands of the Kingdom . That way they have a better chance of reaching the area to be searched quicker and remaining longer at the scene of the tragedy . Most maritime shipping within Tonga is between Tongatapu and the two Niuas with Ha'apai and Vavau in between . All shipping tragedy occurs on this route so search and rescue vessels must get to anywhere within that area fast on receiving distress calls . No vessel so far has caught fire either in port or at sea yet , but that don't mean it will never happen that must be considered also , and be prepared for when that happens .