
Abu Dhabi, 22 June, 2023 : Chinese embassy officials commend Yahsat for its support in the rescue of five fishermen, who were located using a Thuraya MarineStar terminal
Abu Dhabi, UAE, 22 June 2023: In a search and rescue operation spanning international waters, the UAE's flagship satellite solutions provider, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (ADX trading symbol: YAHSAT) and its mobility arm, Thuraya Telecommunications Company, worked closely with Chinese governmental agencies, including China's Embassy in the UAE and its Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) to save a group of Chinese fishermen lost at sea.
The rescue mission underscores the significance of satellite-enabled connectivity in critical and life-threatening situations. It also underlines the importance of cross-border cooperation between Yahsat and numerous international entities, which continues to play an essential role in saving lives globally. Two senior officials from the Embassy of China in the UAE visited Yahsat's headquarters in Abu Dhabi on 15 June to thank the management and staff for their timely support and explored possibilities of strengthening safety services on small boats, especially fishing vessels. Senior executives from Yahsat briefed the visiting diplomats on the numerous advantages of Thuraya's satellite communications equipment.
The incident took place on 20 May, when Yahsat's Customer Care team received an emergency call for assistance from the Embassy of China in the UAE. The call was made on behalf of China's MRCC after they were alerted that a few Chinese fishermen and their boat were missing. The MRCC reached out to the Embassy to connect with Yahsat and Thuraya as the boat was equipped with a Thuraya MarineStar terminal, hence locating the boat was possible.
Ali Al Hashemi, Yahsat's Group Chief Executive Officer, said: This rescue is a strong and enduring testament of the excellent relationship we as a company have with various agencies at the international level, including Chinese governmental entities. In such types of operations, quick action is imperative to locate and rescue individuals who are in danger. Fortunately, we were able to find out the whereabouts of the fishermen in time, thanks to the Thuraya MarineStar terminal installed on their boat, which allowed us to pass that information onto relevant Chinese authorities. This successful mission clearly demonstrates that Yahsat's and Thuraya's cutting-edge solutions are not only crucial for empowering business activities, but more importantly vital for saving lives.
Tan Junyao, First Secretary for Transport at the Embassy of China in the UAE, said: Search and rescue of lives is an international humanitarian work generally accepted worldwide. Both China and the United Arab Emirates are state parties of the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue formulated by International Maritime Organization (IMO). Both countries uphold the spirit of international humanitarianism and are dedicated to reducing the loss of life at sea. Satellite communication plays a critical role in emergency response, search and rescue operations in remote waters. Yahsat provided the support to MRCCs at short notice, and their timely locating the missing persons enables quick and effective international Search and Rescue coordination, thus increasing the probability of successful rescue of persons in distress. By working together in such an effective and rapid manner, we were able to protect the safety of people at sea. We look forward to exploring various ways with Yahsat to further strengthen safety awareness for small boats and thereby safeguard the lives of fishermen in the future.
The rescue mission is the second-of-its-kind involving Yahsat's direct contribution in the last eight months, as seven fishermen stranded in international waters between the Philippines and Indonesia were saved in November 2022. Their boat was equipped with a Thuraya XT-LITE satellite phone, which enabled them to make a distress call.
In 2022 alone, Yahsat saved close to 130 lives through direct intervention by its Customer Care as part of the Group's Save Lives' campaign. This underscores the importance of equipping small boats with satellite communication gear and creating more safety awareness among operators and crew, especially in Asia, which employs 85% of the world's fishers.
With the UAE marking 2023 as the Year of Sustainability, Yahsat remains committed to achieving the nation's sustainable development goals by using its space technology to ensure human welfare and sustained economic growth, both at home and overseas, across its global satellite footprint.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
12/05/2026
CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...
12/05/2026
Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...
12/05/2026
Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...
12/05/2026
Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...
12/05/2026
dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
NUGEN Audio will debut Version 1.1 of DialogCheck, its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at the 2026 Media Production & Technology Show (S...
12/05/2026
The reactive visuals can adapt to any stage or screen setup and comprise 50 layers of Notch content
Today, Disguise announced that its high performance GX 3 m...
12/05/2026
Snapgrid , Snapbag & Airglow Expand Creative Control for the ARRI Modular LED BarFollowing the launch of the ARRI Omnibar, DoPchoice introduces a dedicated li...
12/05/2026
May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here
TRIBECA FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2026 GAMES PROGRAM
Tribeca Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With World Premieres and Pl...
12/05/2026
May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here
MADONNA BRINGS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF CONFESSIONS II TO 2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL
The Global Icon Will Unveil a Cine...
12/05/2026
Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...