Global aircraft emergency signals now reach rescue services directly

Data sent autonomously by distressed aircraft integrated into global search and rescue coordination network by ICAO, EUROCONTROL, and French Mission Control Centre (FMCC) 

Global aircraft emergency signals now reach rescue services directly

Montreal, 12 November 2025 – Autonomous Distress Tracking (ADT) data from aircraft worldwide is now being fed into the global Location of an Aircraft in Distress Repository (LADR), thanks to a new sophisticated technical connection announced today by ICAO, EUROCONTROL, and the French Mission Control Centre (MCC.) 

“We have achieved a significant step forward in strengthening the international community’s ability to track aircraft in distress and respond swiftly and effectively to emergency situations worldwide,” remarked ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar.

The LADR is a secure, web-based platform that forms a core component of ICAO’s Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS). It was developed and hosted by EUROCONTROL on behalf of ICAO. 

“LADR provides a single point of access for information on aircraft in distress anywhere in the world and will make a real contribution to improving how the global aviation community manages these situations.  It shows how global leadership and regional cooperation can help drive improvements in safety that will benefit aviation around the globe,” said Raúl Medina, Director General of EUROCONTROL.

The platform now enables accredited contributors to submit and access last known position data from suitably equipped aircraft. In the event of an aircraft distress situation—anywhere, anytime—LADR serves as a single point of access, notifying relevant stakeholders including aircraft operators, air navigation service providers, and search and rescue teams.

The French MCC is a key component of the international Cospas-Sarsat Programme and plays a vital role in coordinating distress alerts across Europe and beyond. By integrating this data into LADR, operational stakeholders are better supported in the coordination of timely and effective search and rescue operations.

The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) and the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs, fishery and aquaculture (DGAMPA) provides overall direction and management of the MCC’s activities. It is hosted and technically supported by the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) in Toulouse.

“France has always been a very active actor in the international Cospas-Sarsat Programme, in particular in its activities in support of GADSS, and the pioneering role played today by the FMCC is a fine illustration of this involvement,” mentioned France’s representative and Council Chair of Cospas-Sarsat Bruno Chazal (CNES).

This milestone highlights the strength of global cooperation and the shared commitment of international partners to enhancing aviation safety and distress response capabilities.

It also marks a key step in the broader implementation of ICAO’s  Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) concept—developed in response to major aviation incidents with the ultimate goal of ensuring that aircraft in distress can be located quickly and accurately, enabling faster rescue operations and saving lives.

The other five MCC worldwide will also eventually be linked to LADR, heightening the resilience of the network.

Resources for Editors

https://www.icao.int/aircraft-tracking

About ICAO 

Leading international civil aviation as a crucial driver of social and economic development, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is accelerating progress towards zero fatalities and net-zero carbon emissions in air transport for everyone, everywhere, in line with its Long-Term Strategic Plan for 2050. ICAO works with its 193 Member States and all air transport stakeholders to develop standards and policies for international civil aviation and undertakes planning and capacity building activities to support their implementation by Member States. 

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About EUROCONTROL

EUROCONTROL is a pan-European, civil-military organisation dedicated to supporting European aviation. As Europe’s Network Manager, the organisation plays a central coordination role, using its technical expertise to support Member States and a wide range of stakeholders (air navigation service providers, civil and military airspace users, airports and aircraft/equipment manufacturers). EUROCONTROL strives to make European aviation safe, efficient, scalable, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, partnering with the European Union to make the Single European Sky a reality.

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