COSPAS-SARSAT is an international satellite-based search-and-rescue system. It provides global coverage and multi-agency cooperation, enabling the detection and relay of EPIRB distress signals to ground stations. The key benefits are fast, accurate location of people in distress with digitally encoded identification, including ship identity and nationality, which reduces false alarms and improves signal reliability, compared to 406 MHz EPIRBs and older 121.5 MHz beacons.
An EPIRB, Emergency Position‑Indicating Radio Beacon, with core characteristics: battery-operated, automatically activates in emergencies, designed to float free from a sinking vessel, and transmit distress signals to satellites and rescue authorities. EPIRB is designed to separate from the vessel and begin transmitting automatically. Canceling a false EPIRB Distress Alert by notifying the Coast Guard or the Rescue Coordination Center immediately. EPIRB batteries are replaced after each emergency activation or by the month and year printed on the EPIRB, because timely replacement is critical for reliability.
The importance of EPIRBs for maritime survival, with COSPAS-SARSAT and 406 MHz technology, is underscored by the dramatic improvement in rescue outcomes, encouraging proper maintenance, testing, and regulatory compliance.