Third ICAO Asia Pacific Search and Rescue Task Force meeting begins at Hulhul

The third meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Search and Rescue Task Force is under way at Hulhulé Island Hotel in the Maldives.

The meeting will take place from 25 to 29 January 2015 and will be attended by delegates from 18 countries, including experts representing ICAO, International Air Transport Association (IATA), and International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The tasks scheduled for the meeting include reviewing the current Search and Rescue status and preparedness of Asia and Pacific Region States, and identifying areas where Search and Rescue require improvement.

Maldives will be represented at the meeting by officials of Civil Aviation Authority, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard, Maldives Airports Company, and other aviation industry experts.

Guest of Honour at the event held this morning to inaugurate the meeting, Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority Ibrahim Faisal, highlighted in his speech that the meeting takes place at a time of many tragic incidents in the aviation industry. He said that the representation of a large number of countries in the meeting was an indication of the priority given to improving Search and Rescue services by the industry.