Emergencies and rescue on Lake Geneva: who to call, what to do

Calling

Say where you are (the GPS position is shown in the app), what is happening and how many people are involved. In Geneva, the police control centre broadcasts the alert on a radio channel shared by Swiss and French services, professional and volunteer: the nearest crew goes out.

Man overboard

1. Shout “man overboard”, point at the person with your arm and never take your eyes off them.
2. Throw them something that floats.
3. In the app, tap MOB: the position is saved and noted in the logbook, and the app shows the distance and heading to get back to it.
4. Call 117 or 112 if the person cannot be recovered straight away.

Being seen

Red rockets or hand flares, a red flag, an SOS light signal, outstretched arms slowly raised and lowered, repeated long blasts: these are the distress signals of the Lake Geneva regulations (art. 43).

Rescue societies

All around the lake, volunteer rescue societies, grouped in the Société internationale de sauvetage du Léman (SISL), turn out when alerted. A section is not a permanently manned station: you don't call them directly, you dial 117 or 112.

Geneva

• Sauvetage de Genève on the map (Geneva)
• Sauvetage de Versoix on the map (Versoix)
• Sauvetage La Belotte-Bellerive on the map (Cologny)
• Sauvetage d'Hermance on the map (Hermance)

La Côte

• Sauvetage de Coppet on the map
• Sauvetage de Nyon on the map (Nyon)
• Société de Sauvetage de Rolle on the map (Rolle)
• Sauvetage de St-Prex SISL on the map (Saint-Prex)
• Sauvetage de Morges SISL on the map (Morges)

Lausanne and Lavaux

• Sauvetage d'Ouchy on the map (Lausanne)
• Société Internationale de Sauvetage du Léman — Section de Pully on the map (Pully)
• Société de sauvetage de Lutry on the map (Lutry)
• Sauvetage de Villette on the map (Villette)
• Société Sauvetage Cully-Davel on the map (Cully)
• Société de Sauvetage “Glérolles” de Rivaz on the map (Rivaz)

Riviera and Valais Chablais

• Sauvetage de St-Gingolph on the map (Saint-Gingolph)
• Sauvetage Vevey-Sentinelle on the map (Vevey)
• Sauvetage Vevey-Vétéran on the map (Vevey)
• Société de Sauvetage (Le Bouveret) on the map (Port-Valais (Le Bouveret))
• Société de sauvetage Le Doyen on the map (La Tour-de-Peilz)
• Société de sauvetage Mon Devoir de Clarens on the map
• Société de Sauvetage de Montreux “La Vigie” on the map (Montreux)
• Sauvetage de Territet (La Dame du Lac) on the map (Montreux)
• Sauvetage Villeneuve on the map

French shore

• Section de sauvetage d'Yvoire on the map (Yvoire)
• Section de Sauvetage de Sciez Anthy Margencel on the map (Sciez)
• Section de Sauvetage de Thonon les Bains on the map (Thonon-les-Bains)
• Section Sauvetage Amphion-Publier on the map (Publier)
• Section de Sauvetage d'Evian on the map (Évian-les-Bains)
• Société de Sauvetage de Bret-Locum on the map

Lake police

For a question, an incident report or a permit (not for emergencies):

• Navigation police station on the map — +41 22 427 68 00
• Lake Geneva police brigade on the map — +41 21 644 44 44
• Vevey gendarmerie station on the map — +41 21 557 13 21
• Morges gendarmerie station on the map — +41 21 557 90 21
• Gendarmerie brigade - Évian-les-Bains on the map — +33 4 50 75 01 06
• Motorised gendarmerie brigade - Thonon-les-Bains on the map — +33 4 50 81 83 01
• Cantonal police — St-Gingolph station on the map — +41 27 606 60 90

In the app, Harbours and safety menu: “Rescue sections (SISL)” and “Lake police and gendarmerie”.

Open the Lake Geneva map

See also

The Navigating Lake Geneva guide, and: Boat licence, Right of way, buoyage, lights, Speeds and zones, Safety and equipment, Water sports: the rules.