SAR Times Weekly — May 14, 2026
FEMA, drones, and rescues... it's another busy week in global SAR!
🔴 Cases & Operations
Brighton Marina: Search for Three Missing Girls
Police and coastguard teams descended on Brighton beach on May 13 after reports that three young girls had gone missing at sea near the marina. The large operation drew multiple agencies to the area as the search continued.
Francesca Williams
All 11 Survive Plane Crash Off Florida
All 11 aboard a Beechcraft that crashed in Bahamian waters about 80 miles off the Florida coast survived and were rescued by a U.S. Air Force Reserve team and the Coast Guard after five hours in a lifeboat. All survivors were reported in stable condition following the May 12 incident.
Malaysia Searches for 14 After Boat Capsizes
Malaysia's maritime agency launched a SAR operation for 14 people after a boat believed to be carrying undocumented Indonesian migrants sank off the country's western coast. Search teams were deployed across the area as the operation continued.
Driver Missing After Vehicle Goes Off Cliff, South Africa
Police and rescue teams searched for a driver who went missing after his vehicle plunged off a cliff in the coastal suburb of Voelklip, Western Cape, during severe weather on May 13. The man had not been located as of the time of reporting.
Marguerite van Ginkel
Pennsylvania Cave Rescue
Crews in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, rescued a person who had been trapped in a cave for more than four hours on the evening of May 9. The operation ended successfully.
Dog Rescued from 21-Foot Underground Pit
A dog that fell 21 feet into a narrow pit on the North York Moors, England, was pulled out after a six-hour operation by multiple teams using confined-space rescue skills. A trained caver led the extraction from the tight underground passage.
https://people.com/caver-comes-to-the-rescue-of-dog-trapped-underground-11972725
⚙️ Technology & Innovation
Tethered Drone Deployed in Henderson, Nevada
The Henderson Fire Department has deployed a tethered drone system to assist with fire suppression and SAR operations. Tethered drones draw power from a ground-based cable, allowing extended flight time over a fixed area rather than the limited windows of battery-powered aircraft.
Infrared Drone Guides River Rescue in Washington
Yakima County deputies used an infrared-equipped drone to locate a missing woman along the Yakima River and guided ground teams to her safely. Officials noted that rivers across the region remain cold and hazardous despite warming temperatures.
Coast Guard Deploys Autonomous Drones on Great Lakes
The U.S. Coast Guard has put Saildrone autonomous surface vehicles on patrol on Lake Erie and Lake Superior, with plans to add units to Lake Huron and Lake Ontario this fall. The vehicles extend maritime surveillance coverage without requiring crew aboard.
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/05/us-coast-guard-now-using-drones-to-safeguard-lake-erie.html
Battery Development Could Double Drone Flight Time
Chinese researchers have developed a lithium-sulfur battery rated for 800 charge cycles, which could nearly double drone endurance compared to current lithium-ion cells. Longer-running drones would allow SAR teams to cover larger search areas without returning to base.
📋 Policy & Regulatory
$56 Million Secured for Urban Search and Rescue
Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA) announced $56 million in federal funding for national Urban Search and Rescue task forces, including one of 28 USAR task forces based in Menlo Park and East Palo Alto, California. The funding supports the operational capacity of teams that respond to disasters across the country.
Holly Rusch, Daily Journal staff
Proposed FEMA Changes Would Shift Disaster Response to States
Proposed restructuring at FEMA would push primary disaster response responsibility to state and local agencies. The FEMA Review Council noted the performance of the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Urban Search and Rescue Program during its evaluation.
Susan Nicol
📰 General News & Community
Palm Beach Crews Train in Historic Hotel Before Demolition
Palm Beach police and fire-rescue crews spent more than a week training at the old Ambassador Hotel before the building's planned demolition. The aging structure gave responders hands-on practice navigating a complex, multi-story building under realistic conditions.
