EPIRB activated 160km south west of Mizen Head in Cork.

[samuel j]

Source RTE

Emergency crews go to sea distress signal
Sunday, 16 March 2008 19:13
Emergency crew are on their way to a location of a distress signal 160km south west of Mizen Head in Cork.

A coastguard helicopter and an air corps reconnaissance aircraft are going to where a satellite linked emergency beacon used on ships and fishing vessels is sending out a distress signal.

The CASA air corps plane is due at the scene at 19:30pm.

It will be joined later by the Waterford coastguard helicopter.

A coastguard spokesman at Valencia they had received no reports any vessels being in difficulty in the area but efforts are underway to locate the beacon and to establish if any vessel has got into difficulty in the area.

[sparkie2182]

lets hope it a false alert..............

[samuel j]

Indee , let hope so, if Radio lads on HF and hear anything they might let us know, ta

[samuel j]

Coastal search is called off
Sunday, 16 March 2008 20:15
The search that had been undertaken off the south coast has been called off.

The emergency beacon had been accidentally activated by one of five trawlers in the area.

The aircraft and rescue boats are returning back to base.

[sparkie2182]

ah well...........:)

better than the alternative, but not an ideal situation.

in all g.m.d.s.s. training, the cancelling of false alerts by the transgressing vessel is high on the order list.

of course, unless the flashing light indicating transmission is actually observed on the epirb..... there is no other indication that the device is operating.

[samuel j]

Don't talk to me spent day in a boatyard last year when one went off and a nightmare trying to find it as it was an unregistered one....(Cloud)
with about 100+ boat ashore for winter was fun.