NCI RAME HEAD DEAL WITH MAYDAY CALL FROM A BURNING YACHT

4th July 2022. Recently, the National Coastwatch Institution at Rame Head heard a Mayday relay from a yacht on fire, west of Rame Head, with two persons onboard,

The yacht was visible from the station and the volunteer watchkeepers relayed the Mayday message to HM Coastguard at Falmouth along with the yachts position. Military auxiliary Smit Dart and MCF Jules offered immediate assistance, while another yacht retrieved the two casualties from the water and transferred them to MCF Jules for transport to Queen Ann’s Battery where Falmouth Coastguard had

arranged for an ambulance to transport them to hospital. The Plymouth lifeboat was launched to escort MCF Jules back to Queen Ann's Battery.

Meanwhile Smit Dart had fire hose and jet in operation and reported that the fire was coming from front hatch and cockpit. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, the yacht sank in Whitsand Bay.

This incident shows how vital effective communications are in an emergency and how our watchkeepers were able to pick up the Mayday relay immediately and instigate the rescue operations.

back to news

About

Currently almost 60 National Coastwatch stations are operational and manned by over 2600 volunteer watchkeepers around the British Isles from Fleetwood in the North West, through Wales, to the South and East of England to Filey in North Yorkshire. 

National Coastwatch watchkeepers provide the eyes and ears along the coast, monitoring radio channels and providing a listening watch in poor visibility. They are trained to deal with emergencies offering a variety of skills and experience, and full training by the National Coastwatch ensures that high standards are met.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The words National Coastwatch Institution and Eyes Along the Coast and the NCI logos are Registered Trademarks of NCI.

Contact


General enquiries
0300 111 1202

Media enquiries
0845 460 1202


[email protected]


17 Dean Street, Liskeard,
Cornwall, PL14 4AB