SAR Times Weekly (June 4, 2026)
A Sherpa disappeared on Everest for a week. He walked out.
Weekly Highlights
Starting this week, you will only be receiving one email a week from SAR Times, the weekly newsletter. I realized that as my excitement of authoring long-form articles and a few new products I'm thinking of came to fruition, I would be clogging up your inboxes and diluting this as a service to you.
That noted, I'm also working on a new format for the newsletter (tada!) which will include any highlights from SAR Times and beyond. For those who like instant gratification, let me know, I'll work on setting up an "everything" email list.
Speaking of the new format, please share your thoughts on what's working and what's not.
This week I published two in-house articles: Vietnam's Decree 69/2026 ND-CP: Implications for Rescue Readiness, which looks at how the country is combating SAR readiness fatigue, and our first Monthly Regulatory Meetings for June 2026.
Last but not least, please share the newsletter! Word of mouth (and email) is the best way to spread the word!
~ryan
🔴 Cases & Operations
Multi-agency teams free man pinned under a canoe in the Mulberry River
A solo canoeist was rescued after being pinned for four hours in the Mulberry River in Arkansas, in a multi-agency response involving Franklin County SAR, the sheriff's office, EMS, state wildlife officers, and federal law enforcement. This highlights how fast a moving-water incident can turn into a life-threatening entrapment, and how satellite-capable 911 access can make the difference in remote river rescues. (Reader submitted; H/T James)
Sherpa missing for a week on Everest found alive
Dawa Sherpa disappeared on May 29 near the summit during the final days of the climbing season, with no food, oxygen, or contact. A week later, rescue crews found him crawling toward base camp. He survived conditions that kill supported climbers; how he managed is still being pieced together.
Five rescued from flooded Laos cave; two still missing
Seven gold miners entered caves in Xaisomboun province on May 19, got trapped when heavy rain flooded the entrance, and specialist Thai cave divers pulled five of them out by May 30. Two remain unaccounted for as of this week, with rescuers probing a newly discovered 60-meter shaft while heavy rains threaten further delays.
Cruise ship diverts 120 miles to reach demasted sailor off Oregon
A 74-year-old Canadian sailor was disabled nearly 490 miles off Oregon's coast after 30-foot seas broke his mast and injured him. The Coast Guard coordinated his rescue with the Silversea cruise ship Silver Whisper, which diverted 120 miles off course to pull him aboard.
One survivor rescued after catamaran catches fire and sinks off St. Thomas
The catamaran Abundance caught fire and sank in the USVI. An MH-60T Jayhawk crew found one survivor on an overturned dinghy, with USCG boats and local volunteers assisting on scene. A reminder of how quickly a vessel casualty can leave crew in the water with nothing to return to.
📡 Technology & Innovation
Texas SAREX 2026: 22 aircraft, 13 agencies, 275 hoists over four days
Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis hosted a large joint SAR exercise in May: 22 aircraft from 13 agencies, 275 hoists, 339 personnel moves, and 84-plus flight hours across hurricane and flood scenarios. UAS assets were integrated throughout. Exercises at this scale produce interoperability data that's hard to get any other way.
Drones helping rescuers and grounded tankers in New Mexico
A survey of drone use by New Mexico first responders finds UAS dramatically accelerating SAR operations in the field while creating airspace conflicts that have forced firefighting tankers to stand down. A useful read for any agency working through how to integrate UAS without creating new hazards for air operations.
📋 Policy & Regulatory
SAR Times: Vietnam's Decree 69/2026 ND-CP: Implications for Rescue Readiness
Vietnam's new maritime safety decree restructures SAR coordination responsibilities and raises questions about how regulatory reform translates to operational readiness. Worth reading for anyone tracking how Southeast Asian states are formalizing their SAR frameworks.
FEMA announces largest US&R funding increase in roughly 20 years
FEMA's National Urban Search and Rescue program will run at $56 million for 2026, supporting 28 USAR task forces at the highest funding level in about two decades. Announced ahead of wildfire season, it reflects federal commitment to all-hazards SAR capacity at a time when program budgets face wider pressure.
Australia opens consultation on Marine Order 57, helicopter operations on vessels
AMSA is revising Marine Order 57 to align with the 6th edition of the ICS Guide to Helicopter/Ship Operations, with the updated order effective October 1, 2026. The revision directly affects helicopter-to-vessel personnel transfers used in offshore SAR and medevac operations.
MALINDOPURA trilateral aeronautical SAR framework presented at ICAO APSAR/WG/11
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore updated their aeronautical SAR working group's progress at the ICAO APAC meeting in May: joint training, coordinated exercises, and systematic information sharing across three SRRs. One of the stronger multilateral SAR interoperability models in the region right now.
🤔 Other News
Oregon Governor Kotek proclaims June SAR Awareness Month 🎉
The proclamation puts a number on Oregon's volunteer SAR capacity: 1,700-plus volunteers, 1,000-plus missions per year. It also calls out the state's SAR card program as the funding mechanism behind it. A useful reference for advocates making the case for volunteer SAR investment at the state level.
Inside Coast Guard water rescue operations at the Jersey Shore
CBS Philadelphia had access to Coast Guard Station Cape May operations ahead of the summer season, following two recent drownings at Wildwood. The piece covers how USCG assets are positioned for swimmer emergencies and what safety guidance the agency is pushing this summer.
🤓 And Now You Know
On June 6, 1944, 82 years ago this week, Allied Air-Sea Rescue squadrons ran continuous operations across the English Channel throughout Operation Overlord. The USAAF and RAF had spent the preceding two years building coordinated air-sea rescue as a distinct mission: dedicated crash boats, amphibious aircraft, and airborne lifeboats dropped from modified bombers. On D-Day itself, those assets recovered hundreds of downed aircrews from the water. It stands as one of the largest coordinated SAR efforts ever mounted, and the doctrine developed for it shaped how military SAR is organized today.
Have a story or some information you'd like posted in the SAR Times Weekly Newsletter? You can reach me via email at any time.
