Helicopter Rescue

arn.george · 19 August 2004, 20:59

Whilst fishing up the coast of falmouth last week we were passed by a small racing cataram. Later we saw the rescue helicopter lowering someone into the water approximately 1/2 mile away. We assumed that this was a training exercise as, having the radio monitoring ch 16 no communications to suggest otherwise had taken place. We then saw a rescue rib attending to a cataram some distance away. The next day it turns out that the chap sailing the cataram had fallen overboard and his wife, not knowing how to sail, had continued into the distance. She luckily had a mobile and called the coastguard. As previously stated we were very close by but had not seen anything worrying. If there had been a "any vessels" call we could have been there within minutes, possibly saving a helicopter call out and the time delay of a helicopter arriving. We did have a fully qualified first aider on board and so could have of been of assistance. Should this of not been put across ch 16 for any vessels in the area?

roohairy · 20 August 2004, 07:51

I suspect it would have been promulgated by DSC......

Gingercoastie?

behavin · 21 August 2004, 20:35

the cat' was a dart 18 (ie small spartan "dinghy" cat) so a VHF radio would not be the sort of things carried or installed on it. Whereas a mobile for your average sailor in small craft is a sensible alternative as basically 90% of people have one and you don't need a license to operate it.
I've just read the story on the falmouth lifeboat web page.
the wife tried to turn around and rescue the helm/hubby but couldn't handle the boat in those conditions.
Its the sort of thing i always taught my crew when i had a dart cause its easy to fall off.

arn.george · 22 August 2004, 16:39

Behavin,
Have you got a web site link?
Feel frustrated that so close yet didn't know! As it turned out both parties ok, but could have been very different.

arn.george · 22 August 2004, 16:41

Sorry, found it. Thanks

Brian · 22 August 2004, 16:42

http://www.falmouthlifeboat.co.uk/

Rogue Wave · 22 August 2004, 18:22

I take your point about the lack of fixed VHF on a small dinghy but certainly a mobile in an aquapac might have been a good start for him, or a personal flare or even a portable VHF in an Aquapac. having said that when I was a dinghy sailor I was surprisingly badly equipped.

A tragedy occured during the 2003 cowes week inolving a skipper who was knocked overboard by his boom and his guests didn't know how to sail the boat or operate the VHF ( or ring 999) and the guy died.

The MCA coding requires that operating instructions for the VHF are visible on the console or in the cabin. it is also a requirement to have full operating instructions and a Solas B table (distress signals and procedures.

Now I am not suggesting that a 16 foot dart or a 5.5 metre RIB be brought up to coding spec but it would make some sense to me if everybody taught there crew what to do in an emergency. It strikes me that the dinghy missus could have easily attracted your attention with the distress wave dinghy mister could have let off his smoke flare

arn.george · 22 August 2004, 18:27

The dart roared past us after leaving Portscatho - we only noticed her again on the horizon when her sail was waving. We were trailing for bass along the coastline at the time. If there had been a ch16 anouncement to alert us we could have picked up the hubby in a matter of minutes. Am I being over sensitive to this?

Rogue Wave · 22 August 2004, 18:35

No I don't think you are, if the crew member could have attracted your attention then it would have saved time, which is what a rescue is all about. likewise a channel 16 call would have done the trick.

to be honest the CG generally try that option first of all ......perhaps they didn't have a good position fix to ask for assistance

roohairy · 23 August 2004, 09:52

I meant that the Coastguard would have passed on the distress message by DSC, not the cat, when they received it. I beleive that their system automatically prompts them to do this.
I guess that the system probably does not prompt for a transmission on 16 and this would only be done if the watch officer had enough time.
It would be interesting if a CG officer in the know could let us know what did happen, it's good to know how their procedures work.

Alan · 23 August 2004, 09:59

Quote:

It would be interesting if a CG officer in the know could let us know what did happen, it's good to know how their procedures work.

Paging Gingercoastie! (A Falmouth Coastguard)

gingercoastie · 23 August 2004, 12:28

I was not on watch, so I cannot give an informed answer as to why certain decisions were made at that time.

I would guess that if the initial call was to a man overboard caused by the boom on a sailing vessel, then the assumption was made that the casualty may well be suffering from injuries that would require rapid transfer to medical facilities.

Also I do not know the time difference between when the casualty fell overboard and the emergency call been made.

Taking both the above factors, assuming worst case then units were required that would be able to undertake a long term search for a person in the water, and provide/transer the casualty to medical assistance asap.

A helicopter and lifeboat were sent. Both these units are ideal for the above situation. It appears that the casualty was found fairly quickly and was uninjured luckily.

I see from the lifeboat website that a crewman had to transfer to the catamaran to recover it back to shore.

When we recieve a call we have to plan for the worst case, it seems that in this case all was resolved quickly and easliy. Maybe it could have been resolved just as well by a passing rib, but if the casualty had suffered a head injury when he was knocked off his boat and was lying face down in the water, would the same passing Rib been able to respond as effictivaly. Would the same passing rib have been able to assist in the recovery of the catamaran with the remaining crew, would you have been the one to tell her that her crewmate was been rushed to A+E.

If the incident had not of been resolved so quickly I am sure a broadcast would have been made on Channel 16.

I hope nobody takes any of my above comments personnaly, I was not involved in the incident and I do not know the capability of anyone on the rib that may of been able to offer assistance.

I think the big question is not "Why didn't the coastguard make a broadcast on channel 16" but is Wny didn't the catamaran. If the remaining crew had put out a Mayday when the person weas knocked overboard then everyone near and far would have heard and could have responded. Maybe you could have recovered the man from the water before a lifeboat and helicopter were launched I do not know it is just suppersition now.

So carry a VHF always

arn.george · 23 August 2004, 18:16

GC
Well put - I am just gald it all turned out well.