Within the framework of the annual training carried out by the SAR Coordinating Centre (RCC Canary Islands) of the Air Force, the CANASAR 2021 exercise was carried out on the island of Lanzarote on May 26th, scrupulously complying with the COVID-19 prevention protocols.
The drill, in which numerous institutions participated and in which PLOCAN has collaborated, took place in two phases that were carried out in parallel: the land phase that took place in the municipality of Haría (northwest of the island), and the maritime phase that was carried out in the territorial waters of the Archipelago.
The exercise consisted of the rescue of the victims of an air accident in which two aircraft were involved, which collided in flight shortly after takeoff. One of them fell to the ground with 22 people on board, while the other crashed into the sea in the northeast of Lanzarote with 4 crew members.
PLOCAN provided surface current data during search operations and deployed a drift buoy to monitor the area. Data on the most probable drift trajectories in the area, obtained from numerical prediction models, was also provided to support search and rescue operations.
In CANASAR 2021, together with the Aeronautical Search and Rescue Service of the Air Force (SAR), have participated the Spanish Navy; the Maritime Action Ship ‘Tornado’; the Civil Guard; the Spanish National Police; Sea Rescue that provided the Guardamar Concepción Arenal and one of its helicopters; Civil Protection of the Government Delegation in Las Palmas; the Government of the Canary Islands, the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies and the Ministry of Health, with CECOES 112, Emergency and Security Group, the Emergency Service of the Canary Islands; the Cabildo (regional government) of Lanzarote; the Regional Directorate of Air Navigation through the Air Traffic Control Centre of the Canary Islands; the Lanzarote Airport; the City Council of Haría with its Local Police and Civil Protection; the Spanish Red Cross; the Association of Volunteers in Emergencies and Rescue of Lanzarote; the National Network of Emergency Radios; and the Space Centre of the Canary Islands, warnings on activation of emergency beacons.
More information: Air Force – CANASAR 2021
CANASAR 2021 exercise
Surface current data provided by Puertos del Estado
Comparison of the simulated trajectory and the real trajectory
