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Date: 07/12/2024
Saturday 7th December, 6:30 pm – RCC Norfolk contacts RCC Bermuda having received a report from a concerned member of the public regarding the safety of the U.S. sailing vessel WANDERER which departed Norfolk, Virginia for Bermuda on 2nd December with 2 crew. The boat had been in contact with friends ashore via High Frequency Single Side Band (SSB) radio a few times per day during their voyage but had missed the last few scheduled radio communication calls. The yacht's ETA at Bermuda was Sunday 8th December, however as the vessel was not reporting as expected, RCC Norfolk undertook to broadcast Enhanced Group Call satellite messages to shipping in the area and Bermuda Radio undertook similar 'lookout' broadcasts using NAVTEX and SSB radio voice broadcasts. A few hours later WANDERER contacted Bermuda Radio directly on VHF radio having heard Bermuda Radio's maritime safety information broadcasts. The skipper explained that their planned communications schedule was not followed due to a technical fault resulting from heavy weather. All concerned parties were updated and the yacht arrived safely in St George's Harbour early on Sunday afternoon.


Date: 06/12/2024
Friday 6th December, 6:30 am – United States Coast Guard Rescue Sub Center San Juan, Puerto Rico contacts RCC Bermuda following detection of an unregistered satellite distress beacon which had been activated some 400 miles South of Bermuda in San Juan's area of responsibility. Based upon the RCC Bermuda database for visiting yachts, the EPIRB was determined to be registered to the Polish sailing vessel POESTERD, a 43 foot sloop which left Bermuda on the 2nd December with 1 person onboard. RCC Bermuda was able to send RCC San Juan detailed vessel, crew and safety equipment information which led to them diverting a nearby merchant vessel to the satellite beacon distress position as there was no other means of long range communications. At 10:30 am the Liberian registered fruit juice tanker ORANGE OCEAN laden with a cargo of orange juice arrived on scene to find the yacht on fire. SEE PHOTO LINK https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3987879/coast-guard-tanker-ship-orange-ocean-rescue-boater-from-vessel-on-fire-sinking/ The ship launched their fast rescue craft and transferred the yacht's skipper, a Polish national, from the burning yacht. The single handed sailor was uninjured and remains aboard the ship as she continues to her next port of call in Santos, Brazil.


Date: 28/11/2024
Thursday 28th November 2024 – 4:05pm – Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre receives a 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) satellite distress alert from the 31 foot commercial fishing vessel BLACK FISH. The distress signal is detected in the vicinity of Argus Bank approximately 22 miles southwest of Bermuda. Using the EPIRB contact details on file, Bermuda Radio is able to telephone the fishing boat's designated emergency contact ashore who confirms that the vessel is indeed fishing offshore with 3 persons onboard. Bermuda Radio is unable to directly communicate with the vessel via VHF radio or cell phone and with no vessels in the area detected on radar or AIS the rescue centre commences Urgency Broadcasts on marine VHF radio for any vessels in the area to keep a sharp lookout for the fishing boat or other signs of distress. Local fishing vessels REEL ADDICTION and PARADISE ONE respond to Bermuda Radio's broadcasts and the REEL ADDICTION proceeds from Challenger Bank to the EPIRB position, arriving on scene at 5:35pm and finding the BLACK FISH disabled. The REEL ADDICTION takes the BLACK FISH in tow arriving back at Ely's Harbour by 10:00pm that evening with the PARADISE ONE and a RBR-Coast Guard vessel standing by to assist should the situation deteriorate. [ Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre note: the possession and use of a registered 406 MHz EPIRB by this fishing vessel was a determining factor in assuring a good outcome to this oceanic incident, allowing for a quick response by others and the avoidance of a protracted search in deteriorating weather which may have led to a worse outcome. ]