Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2013-05-09

Search and Rescue Services for Aircraft in Distress - Search & Rescue arrangements between Sri Lanka and neighbouring countries such as Australia, India, Indonesia and Maldives

it is obligatory on the part of Sri Lanka, being a party to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention – 1944), to make arrangements for the effective implementation of the International Standards and Recommended Practices contained in the said Convention. It is a requirement that every State enters into arrangements with neighbouring States to strengthen her ability to provide Search and Rescue Services in mutual cooperation and coordination with each other when the need for search and rescue arises. The proposal made by Hon. Piyankara Jayaratna, Minister of Civil Aviation, for the Government of Sri Lanka, to enter into such arrangements with the relevant authorities of Australia, India, Indonesia and Maldives for the above purpose, was approved by the Cabinet.