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21 Rescued from Water during Fastnet race

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  • 16-08-2011 3:38pm
    #1
    savagecabbages
    Registered Users Posts: 871 ✭✭✭


    Looks like quite an exciting rescue operation off the Cork coast yesterday, a yacht competing in the Fastnet race capsized leaving the 21 strong crew in the water/on the upturned hull for 3 hours. Five separated completely from the vessel!

    Article here:Crew found after yacht overturns near Cork
    Picture Gallery here:Gallery: Yacht capsizes off Cork coast

    Looks like one of the INS vessels in the background of one of the pictures in the gallery. I can imagine there was quite a response due to the number of people involved...

    Looks like quite a job done by all involved.


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    #2
    kub
    Registered Users Posts: 6,538 ✭✭✭kub


    Yes in fairness to all involved, thankfully no lifes were lost. I suppose it was down to primarily a well trained and experienced crew.

    Apparently the Baltimore RNLI vessel was out training when they received the call so obviously a time saving input to this event.

    I wonder has this been the first time that 2 Coast Guard helicopters were dispatched to the same incident?

    Also the alert was raised by some satellite device onboard the yacht which senses water. Does this device also broadcast the coordinates of the incident to assist the rescue services.

    Again well done to all, and to the good folks down there in Baltimore for looking after them.


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    #3
    savagecabbages
    Registered Users Posts: 871 ✭✭✭savagecabbages


    An EPIRB, which does broadcast the position, but apparently the first message wasn't recieved until an hour after the capsize... Some are automatic, some manual. Not sure about the one on this yacht.

    I wasn't aware there were two Coast Guard helicopters sent to the incident, but this practice is quite common for long range jobs nowadays with one Helicopter doing the actual rescue, and another providing top cover during a mission. Top cover used be provided by the British Nimrod aircraft, and currently sometimes by the Irish Air Corps CASAs where possible. Of course having to task one of the four available helicopters in support of another during a mission is far from ideal. For example the Shannon and Waterford ones sent out on the same job to the same place leaves a pretty large gap in cover elsewhere, not to mention the delay in getting them both to the same place at the same time.


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    #4
    goldie fish
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,195 ✭✭✭goldie fish


    The initial alert was raised not by EPIRB, but PRB of one of the crew activating once they hit the water.
    Well done to all involved in this very successful rescue.


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