Tag Archives: Personal Locator Beacon

Personal Locator Beacon tips the scale for fishermen adrift in Western Pacific

A group of fishermen adrift in the remote Western Pacific made their recent rescue significantly easier because they carried a personal locator beacon, according to the U.S. Coast Guard search coordinator. The six fishermen were about 30 miles north of Satawal Atoll in the Caroline Islands, a widely scattered archipelago, when their engine failed around 9 a.m. Aug. 17, according to a news release from Coast Guard Sector Guam. The fishermen activated a personal locator beacon, or PLB, which issued a distress signal and transmitted their location to Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam, more than 430 miles away, the Aug. 19 release said. The center relayed the information to the USCGC Oliver Henry on patrol about 270 miles northeast of the fishermen, and a Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel about 160 miles north of the disabled vessel. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:50

Lessons learned: Personal flotation devices with personal locator beacons save lives

On a a bright, fresh autumn morning, a small trawler left harbour for a day’s fishing with a skipper and crewman on board. Once past the breakwater, the skipper handed over the watch to the crewman and went below to rest. The crewman was wearing light clothing and a personal flotation device (PFD) and carried a personal locator beacon (PLB). During the passage to the fishing grounds, with the vessel under autohelm steering, the crewman left the wheelhouse to prepare the fishing gear on deck. As he was leaning over the transom to rig the trawl wires, the crewman lost his balance and fell into the sea. >click to read< 11:27

USCG Calls For PLBs On EVERY Life Jacket

In the United States Coast Guard’s upcoming El Faro investigation report, Captain Jason Neubauer USCG, Chairman of the Marine Board of Investigation, will recommend that all Personal Flotation Devices on oceangoing commercial vessels be outfitted with a Personal Locator Beacon.,,, A PLB (personal locator beacon) is a specific type of EPIRB that is typically smaller, less expensive, has a shorter battery life and unlike a proper EPIRB is registered to a person rather than a vessel. click here to read the story 09:41