USE CORRECT RADIO PROCEDURES WHILST AT SEA SAY SWANSEA COASTGUARD

Swansea Coastguard are asking sailors and motorboaters to familiarise themselves with correct radio procedures after a series of incidents where boaters have made incorrect broadcasts leading to needless delays and lifeboat launches.
“Throughout this week we have dealt with a number of incidents where people have made the incorrect broadcasts, hampering us in our ability to assist them,” says Dave Jones, Swansea Coastguard Watch Manager.
“On Tuesday, a vessel broadcast ‘mayday’, meaning that it was ‘in grave and imminent danger’.  The vessel said that they were taking on water. We requested the Horton RNLI inshore lifeboat and the Mumbles all weather lifeboat to launch and another nearby vessel also offered its assistance and went to the boat’s aid. However, upon further investigation we discovered that the water that was onboard the vessel had been there for some time and so they remained at sea.
“The next day, another vessel broadcast ‘mayday’, but held down the broadcast button, blocking us from making any further transmissions.  Within the broadcast they told us that they had engine failure, and so fearing the worst, we requested the Minehead  RNLI lifeboat to launch. However, when the lifeboat arrived it found the vessel at anchor and needing a tow. This would not be cause for a mayday broadcast and we could perhaps have arranged a tow by another vessel, rather than requesting a lifeboat to launch.
“I am, however, pleased to report that today two vessels have followed all of the correct procedures. Neither of the incidents have involved people being in ‘grave and imminent danger’ and so both vessels have made ‘pan pan’ (urgency) broadcasts. Both involved engine failure, with the first being towed back into Watchet and the second into Uphill by Weston Supermare lifeboat (since there was concern about smoke coming from the engine).
“Please do make sure that you broadcast the right message in the correct way using VHF radio. If you can use VHF DSC this is ideal since you can broadcast with one push of a button, and if your radio is wired up to GPS, we will also be sent your location. Correct radio procedures are taught on a number of courses. You may also like to order a sticker which you can put next to your radio. You can do this via this link: http://mca.ecgroup.net/Publications/Navigationandcommunication%C2%A0/Navigationandcommunication%C2%A0.aspx

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