The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre together with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre are responsible for organization and coordination of search and rescue service on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania.
Where the assistance of the respective coordination centres of the neighbouring states is requested in the event of an emergency in the borderline section, the arrival of search and rescue aircraft and vessels at the territory of the Republic of Lithuania, the territorial waters and the airspace over them, and also the departure of search and rescue aircraft and vessels of the Republic of Lithuania for the place of an accident in the neighbouring state shall be organized by the Aeronautical and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres, respectively.
The addresses of these centres are as follows:
Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre
Call sign: "Vilnius Rescue"
Balio Karvelio Str. 25
LT-02184 Vilnius, Lithuania
Tel:+370 706 94 588+370 706 94 587
+370 706 94 587+370 706 94 588
+370 706 94 585
Mob. +370 610 46 024
Email:arcc@ans.lt
AFS:EYVCYCYX
The operation hours are: H24.
Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre
N. Uosto Str. 24
LT-92244 Klaipėda, Lithuania
Tel:+370 46 39 12 57
+370 46 39 12 58
Fax:+370 46 39 12 59
Email:mrcc@mil.lt
The operation hours are: H24.
The service is provided in accordance with the provisions contained in the following ICAO documents:
The Search and Rescue Service is responsible for SAR operations within Vilnius FIR.
Operations of search and rescue (SAR) aircraft shall be organised and coordinated in accordance with the regulation on organisation and performance of operations of SAR aircraft approved by Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 417 of 13 April 2001 “On Approval of the Regulation on Organisation and Performance of Operations of Search and Rescue Aircraft” and by Resolution No. 1303 of 16 December 2015. The regulation has established the procedure for organisation and performance of aircraft operations in search for and rescue of people in case of an aircraft or ship accident or an aircraft or ship in distress, and also the procedure for submitting information on SAR operations in the event of an aircraft accident.
Details of related rescue units are given in Table 3.6.3 Search and Rescue Units. In addition, various units of the State Police, the merchant marine and the armed forces are available for search and rescue missions when required. The aeronautical, maritime and public telecommunication services are available to the search and rescue organization.
SAR aircraft and helicopters carry survival equipment, which can be dropped. It consists of inflatable rubber dinghies equipped with medical supplies, emergency ration and survival radio equipment. Aircraft and marine vessels are equipped to communicate on 121.500 MHz, 2182 kHz. Ground rescue teams are equipped to communicate on 121.500 MHz. SAR aircraft and marine craft are equipped with direction finding equipment and radar.
Table 3.6.3. Search and Rescue Units
| Name | Location | Facilities | Availability | Remarks |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Kaunas/S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno AD | 54 52 55N 023 53 20E | Helicopter HEL-M | H24 | Equipped with floats, search lights and winches |
| Nemirseta | 55 51 42N 021 04 47E | Helicopter HEL-M | H24 | Equipped with floats, search lights and winches |
| Paluknys | 54 28 59N 024 59 32E | Helicopter HEL-M | H24 | On request |
| Klaipėda (seaport) | Vessel “Šakiai” | H24 | For search, rescue and transportation |
Equipment of SAR aircraft and composition of flight crews shall comply with the requirements laid down in Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, to which the Republic of Lithuania acceded by Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 514 of 30 November 1991 “On the Republic of Lithuania’s Accession to the Convention on International Civil Aviation” and in other documents of the International Civil Aviation Organization (Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 1303 of 16 December 2015).
The Government of the Republic of Lithuania has made agreements with Latvia, Sweden, Poland, Russia (over the Baltic Sea) for SAR purposes.
For conditions of availability see Table 3.6.3.
Procedures for pilots-in-command observing an accident or intercepting a distress call and/or message are outlined in ICAO Annex 12, Chapter 5.
Transmission and reception of distress messages within the Search and Rescue Area are handled in accordance with ICAO Annex 10, Volume II, Chapter 5, paragraph 5.3.
For communication during search and rescue operations, the codes and abbreviations published in ICAO codes and Abbreviations (Doc 8400) are used.
The frequency 121.500 MHz is monitored continuously during the operation hours at all area control centres and flight information centres. The aerodrome control towers serving international aerodromes and international alternate aerodromes will, on request, monitor the frequency 121.500 MHz. All coast stations monitor the international distress frequencies.
Rescue aircraft belonging to permanent Search and Rescue Units use the call sign "LITHUANIA RESCUE" and additional identification marks (ALFA, BRAVO, CHARLIE, etc.) during rescue operations.
SAR forces on the accident site shall establish communication with the overland rescue services and other aircraft and ships, involved in the search, at an operating frequency of 123.100 MHz, or other frequency in accordance with agreement (Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 1303 of 16 December 2015).
The search and rescue signals to be used are those as prescribed in ICAO Annex 12, Chapter 5, paragraph 5.10.
In addition, the following procedure is used by aircraft when searching for survivors at night:
International Ground/Air Emergency Code.
Instructions for use:
| Note. | It is preferable to use the International Ground/Air Emergency Code. The symbols may be made larger and hence more recognizable from the air. Paulins should be folded to form the signals shown. A paulin is also an extremely valuable survival shelter, poncho, ground sheet, sleeping-bag cover, sunshade, or rain collector. |
ARCC Vilnius is search and rescue point of contact for COSPAS–SARSAT system in the Republic of Lithuania.