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SEA
RESCUE IN THE
BASQUE
COUNTRY
The
Sea Rescue Service at the Basque Country is the result of the cooperation
between diferent regional and state institutions.
| In
the Basque Autonomous Comunity, all emergencies are coordinated by SOS
Deiak (SOS Calls, in basque), the emergency managing center of the Ministry
of Inner Affaires of the Basque Government. SOS Deiak is responsible for
all the emergencies at land, inland waters (rivers, lakes, etc), beaches,
cliffs and coast. |
 |
| Emergencies
at sea are coordinated by the Sociedad Estatal de Salvamento Marítimo
(Sasemar), which depends of the Spanish Central Government's Ministry of
Public Works, covering high sea and shore. |
 |
This
two bodies are in charge of coordinating the intervention of the different
rescue teams taking part on an emergency situation, such as lifeboats,
coast guard and aircrafts. On top of this, SOS Deiak does also manage the
regional emergency ambulance and firefighter services and police.
Lifeboats
The
main group of sea rescue resources in the Basque Country consists on the
lifeboats owned and operated by the Red Cross at the stations of Arriluze
(Bilbao), Bermeo, Ondarroa, Getaria, Donostia, Pasaia and Hondarribia.
| Each
one of these stations has its own B class (coast and shore rescue) and
C class (inland water rescue) lifeboats. Three stations, Getxo, Ondarroa
and San Sebastian (Donostia), also have A class lifeboats for high sea
and shore rescues.
Two
of these bigger ships have been donated by the Transportation Ministry
of the Autonomous Government. |
 |
Apart
from the donation of a number of lifeboats, the Basque Government also
contributes with help in the form of some funding and rescue equipment.
Together
with the excelent response given by the volunteer crews, this makes possible
for our region to count with one of the most advanced and efficient sea
rescue services of Spain.
 |
This
map shows the seven lifeboat stations of the Red Cross in the coast of
the Basque Country.
The
red areas show the surface covered by their level B lifeboats, while the
grey semicircles limit the range of the level A rescue ships. |
Sasemar
has also available some tow ships to be used in high sea rescues, as well
as its own A level ship at the port of Bermeo.
Coast
Guard
| The
coast guard ships, either from the regional or the state police, do also
perform a very important task in a number of rescue operations, offering
support to the lifeboats.
Both
the Spanish Civil Guard (dependent on the Spanish Government) and the Ertzaintza
(regional police dependant on the Basque Government) have their own patrol
ships capable to intervene in high sea operations. |
 |
Aircrafts
| The
helicopters of the basque police, Ertzaintza, are based in the province
of Bizkaia. They perform a rapid and effectively on those operations where
they are required, including searches, rescues at difficult access areas
and support to lifeboats.
Sometimes,
Sasemar can also bring its own bigger helicopter, with a larger range and
cappabilities, but less handy at minor scale rescues.
This
helicopter is based in Gijón (Asturias) and covers the whole North
Spanish coast, which implies longer times to respond. |
 |
|
