"These 18 countries have confirmed they are ready to send representatives from their respective search and rescue (SAR) offices. They come from Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia, and, of course, the Global South," said Mohammad Syafii, Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), in Tangerang, Banten, on Saturday.
Initiated by Basarnas, IISAR 2026 is expected to be attended by representatives from a total of 30 countries.
The four-day gathering will feature three core programs: the IISAR Exhibition, the IISAR Forum, and the IISAR Challenge.
The event is designed as an international forum to strengthen collaboration, innovation, and the exchange of expertise between nations.
It aims to address increasingly complex emergency challenges and enhance search and rescue operational capacity amid rising global disaster risks.
"There are three main programs: a SAR technology exhibition, an international forum, and the SAR Challenge competition, which will test the technical and tactical skills of rescue teams," he explained.
In the exhibition, domestic and international companies and research institutions will showcase the latest technologies supporting rescue operations, ranging from search systems to evacuation equipment.
The international forum will bring together experts, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the strengthening of standards and global cooperation in the field of SAR.
Meanwhile, the SAR Challenge will serve as a platform to test the readiness of teams from various countries through rescue scenarios designed to simulate real-world conditions.
The Basarnas head stated that by hosting IISAR 2026, Indonesia is reinforcing its role within the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) network while simultaneously promoting the advancement of SAR professionalism on an international level.
"We also want to keep pace with the development of SAR technologies and see how other countries utilize them. This is something we can learn together," he remarked.
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Translator: M Riezko, Raka Adji
Editor: Arie Novarina
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