Yet another international rescue

[Andy the Coastie]

BBC NEWS | England | Kent | Coastguard aids yacht in Panama


A bit more local to Dover from a call from a person in Folkestone aids to a affective rescue miles away across the pond .


Last Updated: Saturday, 15 December 2007, 17:12 GMT

Originally Posted by BBC

Coastguard aids yacht in Panama
The crew of a sinking yacht in the central American state of Panama have had their lives saved thanks to a 999 call thousands of miles away in Kent.
Dover Coastguard were tipped off about the plight of the vessel in the Panama Canal and scrambled their counterparts to mount a rescue operation.

The Kent-based coastguard was alerted in a telephone call from ex-Royal Navy diver Paul Wilkin, from Folkestone.

He said he had heard about the mayday from a friend on a yacht in Panama.

"He rang me, and I relayed that message to Dover Coastguard... and left it with them.

"I have heard from my friend again since who said that the people managed to get onto the reef but, by the sound of it, the yacht was lost."

Mr Wilkin said he did not hesitate in calling the coastguard to help out with the international rescue because "they could be relied upon".

Coastguard Watch Assistant John Brewin said Mr Wilkin had been able to pass on the name of the yacht and its position, which was very close to the Hermanas Reef.

He said Dover Coastguard was then able to pass it onto their counterparts in Panama.

[Andy the Coastie]

We went though the phone logs last night.

from the first call from the chap in Folkestone to the Panamian's receptng the mayday call only took 16 minutes

[wilbo]

Originally Posted by Andy the Coastie

We went though the phone logs last night.

from the first call from the chap in Folkestone to the Panamian's receptng the mayday call only took 16 minutes

How do you start about calling the Panamanian rescue services?

"Hello.. Yellow Pages? Yes can I have the number for Rescue Services in Panama please.. My name? Yes certainly.... J. R. Hartley.."

I'm mucking about of course - but seriously - where would you even start to look for a way to contact these people??? Or is there some form of global contact list or something?

[Sooty Stoo]

Don't they just ask Brains?

Or send that Lady Penelope?

F A B

[Mal Bridgeman]

F. A. B. Mr Nye

[CotoChris]

Andy. I keep meaning to ask this question. Thinking about the Antartic episode. With the lifeboats launched at sea, how do the rescuers know how to find them? Do the lifeboats carry a beacon? If not is it a visual search until no hope? Also for the rescuers they won't really know how many have been launched I suppose.