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Frontex, together with the Italian Coast Guard, organised a two-day search and rescue (SAR) workshop to strengthen the cooperation between Greece and Italy in the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea.

The workshop, held in Bari, Italy, gathered over 40 participants from Member States and non-EU countries, experts from Frontex, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG Home), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). The objective was to strengthen operational synergies and international cooperation among SAR authorities in the field of mass rescue operations by testing their operational response capability through a complex multi-purpose maritime exercise.

The first part of the workshop, focused on regional cooperation in maritime rescue operations. Participants discussed case studies related to search and rescue, potential vulnerabilities, and protection of fundamental rights.

The second day was dedicated to the international multipurpose maritime exercise related to mass rescue operations.

SAR was organised by the Italian Coast Guard with participation of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Frontex and Guardia di Finanza. The exercise was accompanied by seven naval assets, two aircrafts, two helicopters, one boarding team. A specialised SAR equipment was operated by the European Coast Guard Functions Officers who showcased their skills in a life-threatening situation. All of the involved parties took part in a simulation of complex search & rescue operations.