West Finland Coast Guard Distrcit is responsible for organizing and providing adequate maritime search and rescue (SAR) within its SAR area and for the required co-operation with other authorities. West Finland Coast Guard District is also responsible for keeping in touch with maritime SAR authorities in other countries
The Finnish Search and Rescue Region (SRR) is shown on the map in blue. It is devided into to two sub-regions: West Finland (dark blue) and Gulf of Finland (light blue). The Finnish SRR is adjacent to the Swedish, Estonian and Russian SRRs.
Gulf of Finland Coast Guard District is responsible for the Gulf of Finland SAR sub-region.
In West Finland Coast Guard Distrcit, SAR activity is led by two centres: Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre in Turku (MRCC Turku) and Maritime Rescue Sub Centre in Vaasa (MRSC Vaasa). The centres are staffed 24/7, which ensures fast and efficient response to reports of distress. In the centres, the operations are lead by a Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator.
MRCC Turku co-ordinates the tasking of national assets in rescue efforts when the need arises. It also co-ordinates the use of national and internationl assets when important SAR units are needed simultaniously in several incidents.
Maritime SAR includes also distress reports by people travelling in the sea areas in winter condiotions, e.g. on ice. This applies especially in northern parts of the West Finland SAR sub-region. In the past years, ice conditions have allowed travelling mainly in the sea area between Pori and Tornio. In icy conditions, West Finland Coast Guard District has responded to reports by ice fishers, snow mobile traffic and other people travelling on ice.
| Maritime SAR Key Figures | |||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| Rescue missions | 650 | 624 | 641 |
| Assistance missions | 121 | 181 | 154 |
Assistance missions include operations when no lives where in immediate danger.