Distress beacon triggers false alarm at Whitehaven during Storm Boelo

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 08:31 · Archive

A distress beacon on a boat safely moored in a boatyard sparked a coastguard emergency response near Whitehaven Marina during Storm Boelo.

A distress beacon on a vessel in a boatyard near Whitehaven Marina sparked an emergency coastguard response in the early hours of Saturday morning during Storm Boelo. An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) was triggered, sending a 406MHz distress signal detected by satellites and relayed to Belfast Coastguard's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, which tasked Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team to respond.

Using local knowledge and registration details, the team quickly established that the vessel was safely moored on hard standing in a boatyard and had been there for some time. However, they still attended the scene to confirm no one was in danger. When volunteers arrived, they verified the vessel remained safely in position.

Severe weather from Storm Boelo prevented the team from safely reaching the boat to deactivate the beacon. As a precaution, alerts from the EPIRB will be temporarily suppressed on HM Coastguard's systems until the owner can safely access the vessel and turn it off. A Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team spokesperson said that every distress activation must be treated seriously until it can be verified that no one is in danger. The team reminded boat owners that EPIRBs should be properly registered, noting that registration of 406MHz distress beacons is free through the Government's official registration service.

How it is being reported

• Storm Boelo coastguard call-out sparked by beacon on boatyard vesselStorm Boelo sparks HM Coastguard response after an EPIRB distress alert near Whitehaven Marina; vessel was safe in a boatyard, but beacon remained active.Whitehaven News · 26 Oct, 08:13
• Storm Boelo coastguard call-out sparked by beacon on boatyard vesselStorm Boelo sparks HM Coastguard response after an EPIRB distress alert near Whitehaven Marina; vessel was safe in a boatyard, but beacon remained active.News & Star · 26 Oct, 08:13

In this story: Whitehaven Marina · Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team · Belfast Coastguard · HM Coastguard · Storm Boelo

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