Who should inform the family that active searching has been suspended?

• A. The Sector Commander is responsible for making the decision and notification
• B. The Airline Company is responsible for the notification
• C. The Command Center informs the NOK and family
• D. The NOK liaison informs the family

Answer: (A)

The main concept is who has formal authority and responsibility for changes in a search operation and how that news is communicated. The person in charge of the sector has overall command of the search area and makes the decision to suspend active searching. Because this is a significant operational shift, the official notification should come from the same authority who directed the operation, ensuring clear, consistent, and authoritative messaging to the family. The airline would not handle search-status decisions, the command center isn’t the designated primary notifier to families in this policy, and while a NOK liaison supports family communications, the formal notification about suspension comes from the sector commander to keep the message and the authority aligned.