Author: kevin

Please click to access the Summary of FMCC activity – June 2020

Following commissioning testing by the Spanish Mission Control Center (SPMCC), the SPMCC has announced that the Qatar ground segment, consisting of LEOLUT and GEOLUT satellite earth stations, and a mission control center (QAMCC) capable of processing distress messages from LEO, GEO and MEO satellites, has reached full operational capability (FOC) on 17 August 2020.

The State of Qatar expressed its gratitude to the SPMCC staff, including Ms. Emilia Melián Martínez, Mr. Esteban Holgado Noda, and Ms. Beatriz Peña Guerra, for their effective collaboration and diligence in the commissioning effort. The State of Qatar also thanked its equipment vendor, Cospas-Sarsat participant states that reviewed the work and the Cospas-Sarsat Secretariat for their effective and professional cooperation and assistance.

The Qatar ground segment adds an important new capability to the life-saving mission of the International Cospas-Sarsat Programme.

Photo of the commander and staff of the QAMCC.

Have you been thinking about getting an emergency beacon? Here are a couple of videos from our Frequently Asked Questions series that may help you out in your decision.

English: Why should I buy a 406 beacon?

French: Pourquoi devrais-je acheter une balise 406 ?

Russian: Почему я должен приобрести радиобуй 406 МГц?

English: What type of beacon should I buy?

French: Quel type de balise devrais-je acheter ?

Russian: Радиобуй какого типа мне надо приобрести?

The Coast Guard rescued an injured teen Monday afternoon after he fell and suffered injuries that needed medical attention.

A 17-year-old hiker was medevaced from Olympic National Park at Port Angeles, near Seattle, Washington, shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday.

Watchstanders received a call from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at 2:10 p.m. about two good Samaritan hikers finding a teenager injured.

One hiker stayed with the injured man while the other sought help.

A third hiker used a personal locator beacon to send out a distress signal, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard helicopter arrived on scene, hoisted the hiker and transported him to awaiting emergency medical services personnel.

Read more here:

https://komonews.com/news/local/coast-guard-rescues-injured-teen-hiker-from-olympic-national-park

Three separate search and rescue cases of 406 EPIRBs being activated led to five lives being saved in Florida this week by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Two people were rescued from a disabled 20-foot boat, and then a crew of three on a fishing boat that ran out of fuel.

A third set of rescue crews exhausted all search leads for two activations in Miami, but no one was found in distress.

“The Coast Guard investigates every EPIRB alert, and it is important to update the registration to help avoid unnecessary searches.”

The Coast Guard reminds boaters that working and registered beacons are important for vessels because they can save your life when regular communication avenues fail.

Read more here:

https://patch.com/florida/stpete/coast-guard-saves-5-lives-across-florida-beacon-assistance 

Please click to access the Summary of FMCC activity – May 2020

Please dispose of beacons responsibly and don’t just simply throw them in a bin.

A 406 EPIRB Beacon was activated and Belfast Coastguard tasked resources to search for it yesterday afternoon.

“Lifeboats launched along with a shore team and carried out a search along the south of the lough and were soon joined by [a] Coast Guard helicopter.

“The Helicopter pinpointed the signal to a waste disposal facility just outside Portadown.

“The Lough Neagh Coastguard Rescue Team proceeded to the location and carried out a search for the EPIRB but were unsuccessful in locating it.

“With no life in danger we returned to base and refuelled for next tasking.”

Read more here:
https://www.portadowntimes.co.uk/news/emergency-beacon-leads-lifeboat-crews-ni-dump-2889371 

Three fishermen were forced to cling to their overturned vessel and wait while UK rescuers rush to their location.

The crew later reported that their vessel capsized quickly with all 3 in the wheelhouse. 

They had no time to conduct any distress alerting whatsoever. 

They had to swim free to the surface, and they then got on the hull of the upturned vessel. 

The EPIRB attached to the life raft then surfaced, quickly followed by the life raft, which they then boarded and waited. 

The EPIRB was the only method of distress alerting.

MCA launched both RNLI and helicopter SAR assets and sent out a Mayday relay, prompting other vessels to respond and make way to the location. 

SAR assets successfully homed into the beacon location and all 3 crew onboard were successfully rescued. 

The men held on for over two and a half hours as the boat continued to slowly sink, fearing for their lives.

“The men showed great bravery managing to get out of the water and onto the hull of the boat, not knowing when help would arrive.”

“Luckily the life raft had the beacon fitted which alerted the emergency services with an exact location, or the outcome would have been very different.”

Read more here:

https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2020/may/31/whitby-rnli-attend-mayday-distress-call-to-sinking-fishing-vessel

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/fishing-trio-cling-life-sinking-18341195 

Shortly before midnight on 21 May 2020, an Emergency Position Indicting Radio Beacon (EPIRB) alert was received for the UK registered Vancouver 34 yacht Helena, believed to be in an area 513 nautical miles south west of Lizard Point in Cornwall.

The lone yachtsman was rescued more than 500-miles off the coast of Cornwall in an international operation involving HM Coastguard, a French maritime patrol aircraft, the RAF and a re-directed supertanker.

See dramatic photos of the rescue here:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8352149/Supertanker-saves-British-yachtsman.html 

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/stricken-yachtsman-rescued-supertanker-500-4160532