SARex 2026 tests multinational maritime coordination in North Sea search and rescue exercise

SARex 2026 tests multinational maritime coordination in North Sea search and rescue exercise 

On 10 September 2026, coast guard authorities from Belgium, France and the Netherlands carried out SARex 2026, a large-scale search and rescue exercise in Belgian airspace over the North Sea. Bringing together national authorities and EU agencies, the exercise was held under the Multipurpose Maritime Operation (MMO) in La Manche and the Southern North Sea, the third consecutive EMSA-led MMO in the region. 

The exercise was jointly planned by the three participating Member States, together with EMSA, EFCA and Frontex, with MRCC Ostend drawing up the exercise plan. A Joint Coordination Team, led by EMSA, and comprising representatives from Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the three EU agencies monitored the exercise throughout. EMSA also made its Integrated Maritime Services available in support of the operation. 

Built around a simulated distress call reporting a sinking small boat, the exercise was conducted as a full search and rescue operation, testing cross-border coordination between the participating authorities. The scenario involved the rescue and evacuation of around 30 simulated casualties. MRCC Ostend coordinated the response in close cooperation with its counterparts in France and the Netherlands. 

A key focus was the coordination of aerial assets. Several aircraft operated simultaneously within the same designated area of airspace. The exercise also tested the Aircraft Coordinator (ACO) function, with coordination provided first from the ground and subsequently from the air. Two vessels, Sirius and the Belgian Navy’s BNS Pollux, also participated as surface assets. The exercise included a medical evacuation component, with simulated casualties transferred to Ostend and Koksijde. 

SARex 2026 is one of the activities carried out as part of the wider MMO in La Manche and the Southern North Sea, launched on 11 May 2026. Over four months, 11 national authorities and three EU agencies are cooperating across a range of coast guard functions in one of the busiest and most environmentally sensitive maritime areas in Europe. As part of the MMO, exercises such as SARex 2026 contribute to strengthening operational coordination and preparedness among national coast guard authorities and EU agencies, particularly in responding to maritime emergencies that require a cross-border response.