VietNamNet Bridge – Ministries of Transport, Defence, Public Security and Foreign Affairs have issued a joint Circular No. 15/2015/TTLT BGTVT-MOD-BCA-BNG on licensing means and forces accompanied by foreign vehicles to join search and rescue activities in Vietnam.

Rescue ships of the Vietnam Coast Guard in a search and rescue operation. (Image credit: Vietnam Coast Guard)

Accordingly, once occurrence of emergencies specified in Paragraph 2 of Article 4 under Decree No. 95/2010/ NĐ-CP — including situations caused by natural disasters or accidents on the territory of Vietnam that require immediate search and rescue measures, but are beyond the capacity of domestic search and rescue forces — related ministries, agencies, and People's Committees of centrally-run provinces and cities should immediately submit a proposal to the National Committee for Search and Rescue to allow foreign forces to take part in the work, or report on proposals of nations or international organisations’ offers to send forces and means for search and rescue operations in Vietnam to the National Committee for Search and Rescue, to report to the Prime Minister and report on the PM’s direction to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant ministries, agencies and localities for co-ordinated implementation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with informing countries and international organisations of Vietnam’s proposals, allowing nations and international organisations to join search and rescue operations in Vietnam, as well as informing them of the approval or disapproval of the proposals of other countries and international organisations to take part in operations Vietnam.

The recommended report sent to the National Committee for Search and Rescue comprises emergency situations, - natural disasters and incidents occurring on the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam or the search and rescue areas undertaken by Vietnam; objects for search and rescue (people, vehicles); names of nations and international organisations; the expected types and number of vehicles and forces participating in search and rescue activities; and the scope of space and time for search and rescue operations.

The Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with sending the formal requests of Vietnam and receiving proposals from nations and international organisations to join in search and rescue operations in the country.

If competent authorities responsible for licensing foreign search and rescue participation under the allowed provisions directly receive proposals by countries and international organisations for the work, the licensing authorities should send one copy of these requests to the Consular Department.

Under the newly-issued circular, the Ministry of Transport authorises the licensing of foreign forces joining in search and rescue activities in Vietnam to specialised State management agencies, such as the Vietnam Maritime Administration, Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration, Vietnam Railway Administration, Vietnam Road Administration, and the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam.

The Ministry of Defence authorises its Department of Operations to licence military vessels, aircrafts, unmanned aircrafts and associated forces, as well as means and forces accompanying foreign vehicles to join search and rescue operations in the limited operating areas on the sea in Vietnam.

After competent authorities announce the end of search and rescue operations, or the pause of such activities for a period of three working days, competent licensing authorities in collaboration with concerned agencies (Immigration Department-Ministry of Public Security and the Border Guard High Command-Ministry of Defence) must implement exit procedures prescribed for foreign vehicles and forces.

The joint circular takes effect from the beginning of October.

Nhan Dan