Two men were found afloat in life vests amid burning fuel vapour spilled from their new recreational fishing boat that may have been overtaken by a wave, submerging and activating the beacon that led rescuers to their location.
Found after three hours in the water five kilometres offshore from Two Rocks marina near Perth, Australia, about 100 metres apart, one of the two men is in critical condition at Joondalup Health Campus.
Read more here:
The Report of the Twenty-Eighth Session of the Joint Committee has been finalised and posted to the Meeting’s web page.
AMSA Rescuers alerted by three beacons within four hours on Wednesday helped thirteen people in distress: two divers from a semi-submerged Australian fishing vessel, ten crew members who had abandoned a burning Taiwanese fishing vessel, and a crashed off-road motorcyclist with a dislocated shoulder.
Read more here:
http://www.afloat.com.au/press-releases/3-distress-beacons-in-4-hours-13-people-rescued
A Swedish man was hiking and fishing alone in the most northern part of Sweden (100 km north of Kiruna) when he was struck by lightning and activated his PLB in the early evening of July 20 2014.
JRCC Sweden Rescue received the signal and contacted the mountain rescue police service in Norrbotten who found and transported the injured man from the position transmitted by the PLB.
In this recent article in North Carolina Sportsman magazine, boaters are recommended to consider using a Cospas-Sarsat beacon, “the gold standard for worldwide search-and-rescue operations”, in maritime distress events.
The article reviews the benefits of various tools and supplies that can help in an emergency, including various types of beacons, and explains what to be prepared for in the event of needing search and rescue so that readers can maximize the odds of staying safe.
Read the full article here:
http://www.northcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=4334
2014-07-17
– EPIRB SAFETY RECALL NOTICE –
In consultation with national maritime authorities, Standard Communications Pty Ltd has decided to recall certain EPIRBs manufactured between January 2005 and February 2008, marketed globally under the GME brand.
Affected models are the MT400, MT401 and MT403 with serial numbers between 50,101,000 and 80,250,722.
If you own a GME EPIRB, please check the model name and serial number. The serial number can be found on the left side of the beacon at the base of the identity panel.
If you own one of the affected units, please contact GME at recall@gme.net.au or your local distributor to arrange a replacement of your beacon at no extra charge.
More information on this recall notice can be found at http://www.recalls.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1061215
2014-07-15
The 69-year-old Yorkshireman’s family contacted the Coastguard as they were concerned for his safety since they had not heard from him for six days.
Police confirmed that he had not used his bank cards for seven days, and the Coastguard initiated a wide sweep involving German, French, Belgian and Dutch authorities as well as Interpol, including a direct appeal to the yachtsman following the BBC shipping forecast.
The Watch Manager at Humber Coastguard, Mike Green, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of all involved and highlighted the importance of emergency beacon equipment and logging a passage plan with a shore contact.
Read more here:
http://www.marinelink.com/news/yorkshire-yachtsman372860.aspx
2014-07-14
A 6m vessel set off an EPIRB and was taking on water when the QuantasLink flight was diverted to help look for it.
Happy to help, the airline passengers and crew spotted three adults and two children bailing out the white boat being tossed in rough waters, and circled it until the coast guard helicopter and boat arrived for the difficult tow home.
Read more here:
2014-07-04
RACQ Capricorn Helicopter Rescue circled and landed, homing in by hand, when an old beacon still transmitting on 121.5 & 243 MHz was activated in a dump near the Gracemere Transfer Station.
Old Australian beacons can be disposed of by taking them to Battery World or to a local police station, and registering beacons can help prevent wild-goose chases like this one.
Read more here:
2014-07-04
International Rescue Center personnel contacted Coast Guard 5th District Command Center reporting they received a message from an EPIRB stating people were in a life raft and in need of assistance approximately 900 miles northeast of Bermuda.
“The presence and proper activation of the emergency position indicating radio beacon was instrumental in saving the crewmembers of the Blue Pearl,” said Petty Officer 1st Class James Hines, a search and rescue controller at the 5th District Command Center. “This stresses the importance of a properly registered EPIRB, which provided us with an emergency point of contact and information on the boat.”
Read more and hear the audio update here:
http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2153826/