NOAA Satellites Save 318 Lives At Sea In 2024 Through Search & Rescue Network

In 2024, NOAA satellites, which provide timely access to global environmental data from satellites and other sources, saved 411 people from life-threatening situations across the U.S. and nearby waters.

The same satellites also tracked Hurricanes Helene and Milton and followed the moon’s shadow during the Total Solar Eclipse.

The satellites are part of a global search and rescue network called COSPAS-SARSAT. This system uses a network of U.S. and international satellites to detect emergency signals from 406MHz beacons.

These beacons are carried on boats, aircraft, or even as handheld Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs).

Since it began in 1982, COSPAS-SARSAT has supported over 50,000 rescues worldwide, including 10,871 rescues in the U.S. and surrounding waters.

Of the 411 rescues in 2024, 318 people were saved from emergencies at sea, 41 from aviation accidents, and 52 from incidents on land. Florida had the highest number of rescues with 122, followed by Alaska with 56 and Hawaii with 31.

The record for the most rescues in a single year in the U.S. rema…

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