Radio Technology to the rescue

Captains,

The combined benefits of the Coast Guard's new Rescue 21 distress radio system and the vessel monitoring system (VMS) that was installed and operating on the F/V Joanne H contributed to the rescue of three fishermen this week. Rescue 21 pinpoints the mayday transmission with lines of bearing from multiple towers, and VMS transmits the vessel's name and GPS position.

RADM W

The Cape Cod Times Tuesday, October 26, 2010
CHATHAM - Three fishermen were rescued by the Coast Guard after their fishing boat caught fire about 17 miles east of Chatham early Tuesday morning. A Mayday call came from the fishing vessel Joanne H, a 48-foot boat out of Harwich, at 5:45 a.m., according to a Coast Guard press release. The fisherman who radioed the call for help was able to say "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is Joanne H. We're on fire. My position is ..." before the transmission was lost, according to the release.

The Coast Guard was able to figure out the location of the burning vessel using its Vessel Monitoring System and an advanced rescue communication system called Rescue 21. Once the location of the boat was determined, a Jayhawk helicopter was launched from Air Station Cape Cod. A 42-foot boat from Coast Guard Station Chatham also responded to the rescue scene.

When Coast Guard rescuers arrived, the Joanne H was fully engulfed in flames, according to the release. The fishermen abandoned the burning vessel and were in a life raft. Rescuers were able to find them after they shot a red flare into the sky.