In October 2025, the Military Emergency Unit (UME) successfully completed the certification process for Mountain Search and Rescue (MSAR) capability under the European Civil Protection Mechanism, becoming the first European assistance unit certified in mountain search and rescue.
The certification process took place during the participation of the UME’s mountain search and rescue team, consisting of 39 military members, in an exercise held in Austria.
The ES MSAR - UME team is designed to carry out technical mountain search and rescue operations under any weather conditions and vertical rescue in areas with extremely restricted access. Furthermore, the main tasks our unit must perform during a mission are: logistics management, search and rescue, and medical assistance.
The module offered to the European Civil Protection Mechanism includes the following capabilities:
- Climbing techniques (rock, ice and mixed), abseiling, canyoning and vertical rescue.
- Searching with drones/RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems).
- Searching with canine teams (for both live and deceased victims).
- First aid techniques. Self-rescue.
- Mountain skiing techniques.
- Snow condition and avalanche risk assessment.
- Avalanche rescue.
- Command, control and communications resources.
- Establishment of a base of operations (BOO).
- Mountain search and rescue (based on the following team capabilities):
