Search and rescue in New Zealand

Major maritime, aviation and beacon-related search and rescue missions in New Zealand’s search and rescue region are co-ordinated by Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ).
The New Zealand Police coordinate all other New Zealand search and rescue missions.

Jointly, the RCCNZ and New Zealand Police can bring together over 100 rescue services and related agencies nationwide plus 10,000 search and rescue (SAR) personnel and volunteers.

The RCCNZ provides search and rescue (SAR) services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The types of beacons used to alert the RCCNZ to a distress incident are:

• maritime beacons (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon - EPIRBs) for sea-based incidents
• aviation beacons (Emergency Locator Transmitter - ELTs) for air-based incidents
• personal beacons (Personal Locator Beacon - PLBs) for land-based incidents.

Learn more about search and rescue in New Zealand

Contact RCCNZ – emergency and other contact details
New Zealand’s search and rescue region
How search and rescue is managed
Search and rescue partners
History of New Zealand search and rescue
Distress beacons [Beacons website]
How to report an accident, incident or injury for a commercial operation, or onboard a recreational vessel.