Mariners urged to carry emergency beacons
Assistant harbour master Simon Granger said "every moment counts" when rescuing people at sea
- Published
Guernsey Coastguard is reminding mariners to carry emergency beacons when at sea.
It said emergency beacons played a "critical role" in search and rescue missions as they transmitted a vessel or person's location when in distress at sea.
The coastguard said the equipment was vital for rescuing a sailor whose navigation equipment failed on Good Friday about 8nm (14.8km) south west of the Casquets Lighthouse.
The sailor, who was struggling from fatigue and dealing with poor visibility, was rescued by the RNLI St Peter Port Lifeboat and Channel Islands Air Search.
Assistant harbour master Simon Granger said crews were able to quickly track the seafarer down due to his beacon.
"When you get into trouble at sea, every moment counts," he said.
"Being able to locate a casualty quickly and accurately can make all the difference, particularly in challenging weather conditions or a life-threatening situation."
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