The New Zealand Search and Rescue Region covers over six million square miles of ocean and relatively small, isolated land masses extending from latitude five degrees south to the Antarctic continent and bounded by the 163E and the 131W meridians of longitude.

This area constitutes a considerable percentage of the world's surface (click here to see a map of the The New Zealand Search and Rescue Region).

While New Zealand has a relatively small landmass by world standards, we have a low population and large tracts of very difficult terrain.  Years of experience have shown us that is both very easy to get lost in the New Zealand wilderness and very difficult to find people when they get lost.

In this diverse environment, our SAR organisations must be capable of responding to SAR incidents ranging from international air or sea-going traffic in remote oceanic areas to those involving domestic commercial air and coastal traffic. The incidents can also include general aviation and recreational users in distress in the rugged terrain of New Zealand or in the coastal waters of any of the Pacific Island States within the region.

Comprehensive SAR statistics have not been maintained in a uniform format.  Statistics have been maintained by several key agencies however.

Click here to view  a collation of New Zealand's Search and Rescue statistics

Click here to view  the New Zealand Search and Rescue Strategic Plan 2004 - 2014.

Click here to read about the history of Search and Rescue Development in New Zealand