Participation in a Search and Rescue Exercise “SAREX 38-19”
Wednesday, 18.9.2019 | Training
Members of the Serbian Armed Forces participated in a search and rescue exercise "SAREX 38-19", organized by the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia, at the airports "Nikola Tesla" and "Vrsac".
The aim of the exercise is to test preparedness and technical capabilities of engaged participants in the system to render service of searching for an aircraft and rescuing individuals in civilian aviation of the Republic of Serbia.
Today, at the airfield in Vršac, procedures and activities were presented through three scenarios in case of an smaller aircraft accident in the airfield area, smaller aircraft accident on impassable terrain and evacuation of a paraglider from a tree in impassable terrain. A tactical display ensued with demonstration of rescue equipment of the exercise participants.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Zoran Nenadović of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff Operations Department, who was in the staff and participated in the organisation of the exercise, “SAREX 38-19” is the most complex activity of that kind held in 2019 in which the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces played a significant role.
– We participated in the exercise with helicopter units from the Air Force and Air Defence, MMA medical team and search and rescue team, the Special Forces rescue team in particular. All the activities have been conducted safely, confidently and according to plan – Lieutenant Colonel Nenadović said.
As Major Dragan Marjanović from 890 Mixed Helicopter Squadron pointed out “it is a great experience to participate in an exercise of such type, especially because of the cooperation with other services that participated in the exercise.
– We have participated with aircraft Mi-17 and with new aircraft in our service H-145M which is going to be used for this purpose as well – Major Marjanović said.
Apart from the organisers, the exercise included the involvement of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Air Traffic Control of Serbia and Montenegro SMATSA ltd. Belgrade, Red Cross of Serbia, Mountain Rescue Service and representatives of local rescue services and the town of Vršac.
