1.3 The terms listed below are used in the annex with the following meanings:

1. Search: An operation, normally co-ordinated by a rescue coordination centre or rescue sub-centre, using available personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress;

2. Rescue: An operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a place of safety;

3. Search and rescue service: The performance of distress monitoring, communication, co-ordination and search and rescue functions, including provision of medical advice, initial medical assistance, or medical evacuation, through the use of public and private resources including co-operating aircraft, vessels and other craft and installations;

4. Search and rescue region: An area of defined dimensions associated with a rescue co-ordination cente within which search and rescue services are provided;

5. Rescue co-ordination centre: A unit responsible for promoting efficient organization of search and rescue services and for coordinating the conduct ofsearch and rescue operations within a search and rescue region;

6. Rescue sub-centre: A unit subordinate to a rescue co-ordination centre established to complement the latter according to particular provisions of the responsible authorities;

7. Search and rescue facility: Any mobile resource, including designated search and rescue units, used to conduct search and rescue operations;

8. Search and rescue unit: A unit composed of trained personnel and provided with equipment suitable for the expeditious conduct of search and rescue operations;

9. Alerting post: Any facility intended to serve as an intermediary between a person reporting an emergency and a rescue coordination centre or rescue sub-centre;

10. Emergency phase: A generic term meaning, as the case may be, uncertainty phase, alert phase or distress phase;

11. Uncertainty phase: A situation wherein uncertainty exists as to the safety of a person, a vessel or other craft;

12. Alert phase: A situation wherein apprehension exists as to the safety of a person, a vessel or other craft:

13. Distress phase: A situation wherein there is a reasonable certainty that a person, a vessel or other craft is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance;

14. On-scene co-ordinator: A person designated to co-ordinate search and rescue operations within a specified area;

SAR Convention (1979) : http://www.imo.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/IndexofIMOResolutions/Maritime-Safety-Committee-(MSC)/Documents/MSC.70(69).pdf

1. Passage means navigation through the territorial sea for the purpose of:

• a. traversing that sea without entering internal waters or calling at a roadstead or port facility outside internal waters; or
• b. proceeding to or from internal waters or a call at such roadstead or port facility.

Passage shall be continuous and expeditious. However, passage includes stopping and anchoring, but only in so far as the same are incidental 31 to ordinary navigation or are rendered necessary by force majeure or distress or for the purpose of rendering assistance to persons, ships or aircraft in danger or distress.

UNCLOS : http://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf