Maltese Search and Rescue Unit of the Order Of Malta takes part in international exercise in Crete
Malta, 7 November 2026
The Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta spent four days in Crete training alongside teams from Greece, Romania and Cyprus at TALOS 2026, hosted by EPIDRASIS.
Volunteers from the Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta have returned from Heraklion after four demanding days at TALOS 2026, an international search and rescue exercise hosted by the Cretan volunteer rescue organisation EPIDRASIS.
Travelling with its volunteers, handlers and search dogs, and joined by members of CISOM, the Italian relief corps of the Order of Malta, the unit trained alongside teams from Greece, Romania and Cyprus across mountain, rubble and mass casualty scenarios.
On arrival, the volunteers were received by the Mayor of Heraklion and the Vice Governor of Crete. Conversations centred on the value of exercises such as TALOS for Crete, strengthening the island’s preparedness and bringing its local volunteers together with experienced teams from abroad.
The exercise opened with a night search in the mountains outside the city. Working by head torch across steep, rocky ground, handlers and dogs searched side by side with their Greek, Romanian and Cypriot colleagues until the simulated casualty was located, stabilised and evacuated by stretcher.
On the second day, at a rubble site designed to replicate the aftermath of a structural collapse, the unit drew on its full range of capabilities. Its rope access specialists reached areas that would otherwise remain out of bounds, its drone gave teams on the ground a clear aerial picture of the search area, and its air-scenting dogs worked across the debris to pinpoint where a person may be trapped.
The third day turned to mass casualties, with teams practising rapid triage, clear communication and seamless coordination between organisations. On the final day, the unit delivered a training session to EPIDRASIS’s newest recruits, explaining how it operates in line with the guidelines of INSARAG, the United Nations network that sets common standards for urban search and rescue worldwide.
“Travelling to Heraklion for TALOS 2026 was an incredible experience, both for me personally and for our entire team,” said Simon Briffa, Unit Leader of the Search & Rescue Maltese Association of the Order of Malta. “It gave us the opportunity to put into practice the skills we work so hard to develop and maintain throughout the year, while also sharing our knowledge, experiences and techniques with fellow search and rescue teams.”
Mr Briffa added: “I was particularly proud of the performance of our canine teams, with both dogs and handlers demonstrating a methodical, efficient and disciplined approach to their searches.”
“Exercises like TALOS are about much more than training,” he said. “They challenge us, strengthen our operational readiness, broaden our perspectives and, most importantly, build relationships and trust between teams from different countries. The relationships we build during training today could make all the difference when lives are on the line tomorrow.”
The Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta extends its sincere gratitude to EPIDRASIS for the invitation and its generous hospitality, and to VisitMalta, CISOM and Aegean Airlines for their support in making the journey possible.
Photo 2: The team before boarding their Aegean Airlines flight to Crete. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 3: The Mayor of Heraklion meets one of the unit’s search dogs. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 4: In discussion with the Mayor of Heraklion. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 5: All participating teams with the Vice Governor of Crete. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 6: The opening briefing with team leaders and the Vice Governor of Crete. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 7: During the night search, the simulated casualty is located and stabilised before being evacuated by stretcher. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 8: Mission complete: the teams together after the night search. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 9: CISOM, the unit and its search dogs at the rubble site. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 10: Maltese and Greek rescuers together. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 11: Briefing the teams before the mass casualty scenario. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 12: The participating teams together at the close of the exercise. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 13: Unit Leader, Simon Briffa training EPIDRASIS’s newest recruits in Heraklion. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
Photo 14: Presenting the unit’s patches at the end of the session. Photo: Search & Rescue Unit of the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta
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