A GME MT600G EPIRB was involved in the rescue of three people after their vessel began sinking off Hope Island on July 20, 2020.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Australia reported the detection of an emergency beacon registered to a fishing trawler at Hope Island, 20 Nautical Miles South East of Cooktown, QLD. Concurrently the Cairns Water Police advised they had received a Mayday call from the same vessel reporting the vessel had begun taking on water and was sinking with the three crew on board, who were in the process of abandoning into a tender.
Cairns Water Police tasked a local Volunteer Marine Rescue vessel to assist whilst JRCC took aviation coordination and tasked a rescue helicopter. The three people on board arrived at Hope Island uninjured where they were recovered by the rescue helicopter and transported back to Cairns. Unfortunately, the trawler could not be salvaged and sank off Hope Island.
This serves to remind us how important it is to carry PLBs and EPIRBs and ensure that their registration details are up to date before heading out to sea.
For more information on the MT600G used in this rescue click here.