Not too long ago our company Triad Marine sold a Fastfind 210 PLB, Revere Offshore Commander 4 in a valise and a new Achilles dinghy to a gentleman who was heading to Belize in a sail boat. Sailing to Belize this time of year is not to unusual but the weather has not been that great and the customer is 80 years old and had decided to sail solo. Given all of those conditions no good could come from this trip.
When the gentleman left we were all a bit worried and we had reason to be, the news reported that the Coast Guard rescued and 80 year old man who had set off his EPIRB after sending a radio distress signal stating he was unable to fend for himself.
I have never been happier to have sold someone a PLB. This story turned out to be a rescue and not a recovery. Apparently he did not need his life raft because he was able to be rescued before his boat had taken on too much water.
3 Hours and the Coast Guard was there! PLBs and EPIRBs work and save lives!
See the story below!
EPIRB leads Coast Guard to distressed mariner
Dec 15th, 2009 by cgnews.
SABINE, Texas — Following a distress from an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) onboard a 34-foot sailing vessel, the Coast Guard found a missing 80-year-old man Tuesday who had departed Houston ten days ago.
The Eighth Coast Guard District command center received the distress alert located approximately 115 miles south of Sabine at 9:30 a.m. The Coast Guard contacted the owner of the EPIRB and was notified by a family member that the 80-year-old owner of the sailing vessel, Enchantress, departed Houston approximately ten days ago and was headed toward Kemah, Texas.
A Coast Guard MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston and an HU-25 Falcon rescue plane and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi launched and located the owner and his sailing vessel at approximately 12:30 p.m. The man was hoisted and transported to Coast Guard Air Station Houston where he met by ambulance and transported to South East Memorial Hospital.
"The gentleman said over the radio to us that he was 'unable to fend for himself.' We safely hoisted him into the helicopter, and as soon as we started to hoist the swimmer, lightening struck within close proximity of the aircraft. The storm front began moving in and definitely made the situation more tedious, but we fell back on our training and the mission was a success," said Lt. Aaron Mader, air craft commander, Coast Guard Air Station Houston.
The Coast Guard reminds mariners to have a registered EPIRB onboard the vessel and to file a float plan with family members and friends.
Click HERE to see the video of him being rescued.
Now ask your self is $299.00 too much to spend to be able to return home to your family!
I may save your life!
Thank you to the Coast Guard and to the makers of the Fastfind 210 both for a job well done. We are so happy to see our customer is safe and that a product we believe proved it's self once more!
