Inauguration of CCAA's Search and Rescue Sub-Center
Published: Tuesday, 04 March 2025 15:11
The Minister of Transport, Mr Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe, presided over the inauguration ceremony of CCAA's new Search and Rescue Sub-Center on Tuesday, March 04, 2025.
Opening of the ceremony
A host of distinguished guests gathered to celebrate the opening of this new building, which stands proudly at the entrance to Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport. This Search and Rescue Sub-Center (RSC) is a modern infrastructure designed to international standards. It is an integral part of the first phase of major infrastructure projects launched by the CCAA in 2018, aimed at enhancing aviation safety at national and international levels.
It responds to Article 25 of the Chicago Convention, which requires every country to have an efficient Search and Rescue (SAR) service. Following the tragic incident involving Kenya Airways in 2007, Cameroon took steps to reinforce the security of its airspace. In 2012, a SAR service was opened at the Air Base to meet the growing need for search and rescue services. The inauguration of this new centre is, therefore, a decisive step for the country, as it brings its capabilities into line with international standards.
Cutting of the symbolic ribbon
The primary mission of the Search and Rescue Sub-Center will be to assist aircraft in distress in flight and to contribute to search and rescue operations. It works in collaboration with the Rescue Coordination Centers (RCC) in N'Djamena and Brazzaville.
For Madame Paule Assoumou KOKI, General Manager of the CCAA, “this center will not only strengthen surveillance of Cameroonian airspace, but also emergency response capabilities”.
Guided tour of the center
The new center covers an area of 3,000 m², with a floor area of 500 m² spread over a basement, first floor and second floor, for a total surface area of 1,000 m². The facility boasts several modern installations, including a 58 m² operations room, a technical room, a conference and crisis management room, and a command and control room. Checkrooms, offices, rest rooms, toilets and a terrace complete the structure's facilities.
Designed in reinforced concrete, the building combines solidity and aesthetics with a modern architecture that incorporates traditional elements of Cameroon's heritage. The facades are made of Pouma stone, the doors of solid Sappeli wood and the wrought-iron railings create a perfect harmony between modernity and local authenticity.
Signing of the guest book
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar expressed his satisfaction with this strategic investment and praised Cameroon's efforts to develop its air transport sector, which is vital to its economic future. Taking advantage of his very first visit to Cameroon, the ICAO Secretary General was also given a guided tour of the CCAA Training School and its facilities.
The inauguration of the Secondary Search and Rescue Center was an opportunity to celebrate a major project that will enable CCAA's SAR service to play its full role throughout Cameroonian and regional airspace.
Group photo