Best signaling devices from the searcher’s point of view - update

[CWK]

The English version does not give a comprehensive listing of the baSARnas offices and posts. I thought people would be interested in knowing where they were located.

 

[Dan]

The English version does not give a comprehensive listing of the baSARnas offices and posts. I thought people would be interested in knowing where they were located.

Well, at least for those who don’t speak Bahasa Indonesia have some idea what you are talking about.

 

[Dan]

BASARNAS Underwater Rescue BSGTraining

 

[CWK]

Interesting that baSARnas has a scuba unit. Unfortunately, in terms of missing diver timelines, I think that the scuba unit will be deployed more for recovery than for rescue.

Although it has been claimed that commercial shipping will ignore the MRGs AIS signal, I do wonder if baSARnas has the SAR assets that can detect and home in on AIS.

 

[Dan]

Interesting that baSARnas has a scuba unit. Unfortunately, in terms of missing diver timelines, I think that the scuba unit will be deployed more for recovery than for rescue.

Although it has been claimed that commercial shipping will ignore the MRGs AIS signal, I do wonder if baSARnas has the SAR assets that can detect and home in on AIS.

Yap, I have no expectation to see their scuba unit, BSG (BaSARnas Special Group) to rescue me, just getting their attention to begin the search is good enough.

According to MarineTraffic.com, they do have AIS. For example Vessel details for: RB 215 BASARNAS () - MMSI 525101022, Call Sign RB215 Registered in Indonesia | AIS Marine Traffic

 

[Dan]

Here’s a brief answer but I’m sure others will be along shortly for a much more in-depth discussion.

Watch this video for PLB.


A Nautilus Lifeline Radio or Marine Rescue GPS (MRG) is not a PLB, and has distance limitations. However, it does not require a dive canister like a PLB. Some would argue (me for example) that despite the Nautilus not being a PLB, it has its place as part of a diver’s safety kit (i.e., in addition to a PLB).

According to their website, the Nautilus MRG transmits:

Your GPS position accurate to 1.5 metres and a man overboard distress message will be broadcast to all AIS equipped ships up to 34 miles away as well as a special DSC message to the marine radio on your own vessel.

That is PLB video part 1. Here is part 2:

 

[Dan]

Outside the main commercial shipping lanes at remote third world divesites, and beyond marine VHF radio/VHF rescue beacon broadcast range (like the Nautilus MRG), an activated and in-distress PLB to satellite detection is the only way remaining of obtaining a GPS position fix that uniquely identifies YOU as the registered owner.

If pre-planned smartly with designated Emergency Contacts having your full flight/boat/dive-op & travel itinerary info to provide to a Rescue Coordination Center, PLB's are the last resort and last best chance of being rescued in a lost at sea scenario:

• In June 2010, 16-year-old Abby Sunderland attempted to break the record for being the youngest person ever to complete a solo sail around the world. But when she found herself stranded at sea after a storm damaged her boat, Abby's life was saved by a NASA-developed Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), which transmitted a distress signal to a Search and Rescue (SARSAT) satellite, 22,500 miles away in space. On October 25, 2010, Abby visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to meet the team that developed this Search and Rescue technology more than 30 years ago.

Abby Sunderland - Wikipedia
Rescue of Youngest Solo Sailor to Attempt Non-Stop Circumnavigation

• Signal of plb will go through in indonesia. Rescue time depend on the location of the military. Case : I went diving in manado area with my plb1 in a plastic waterproof flexible case. Upon surfacing, 15 min later i realized the plb was activated accidentally (due to pressure at depth). Since the antenna of the plb was not deployed and it was only less then 30 min of accidental activation? I did not think much of it (i thought for sure signal would not have gone through as antenna was not deployed and not much time was activated and went on our 2nd dive) (Activation was near resort dive site). Upon return to land -We saw indonesian military personel at the resort (we thought it was routine inspection for that area). That was maybe less then 2 hour after discovery of the accidental activation. (Manado military have to take boat from mainland to resort island. 20 min away from mainlaind). Later when we turn on our cell phone (cell phone reception signal only on land near resort) we we shocked to get many missed call, texts, and emails from our family emmergency contact. The message was : jakarta sar detected an activation of your plb near manado. North american Sar Contacted emmergency contact and verify situation. Family Emergency contact said we were diving in indonesia and cannot reach us. North american SAR told our emergency contact that jakarta said military was notified!! That was when we panicked and realized that the plb1 is so powerful that even with the antenna down, and short activation time, the plb satellite signal actually went through! We frantically called NA sar and notified of the accidental activation. (Our family was panicking as they thought something happened to us). After that trip we bought a proper hard case dive canister for the plb.

Canadian diver and buddy rescued near Apo Island, Philippines

Here is another success story of using PLB1:
Ocean Signal: Hiker Highlights Benefits of Personal Locator Beacons After Using Ocean Signal Device to Call for Rescue - Ocean Signal

 

[CWK]

In the recent Apo reef incident involving the Canadian instructor, Philippine coast guard was informed by the boat after the boat had conducted the initial search. This is in accordance with lost diver protocols. You don't need a PLB to have SAR initiated. Contacting SAR is part of lost diver protocol.

He was rescued 9 hrs later by a commercial vessel i.e. Philippine SAR did not get to him within 9 hrs. Does anyone know how close Philippine SAR got to him?

The PLB1 and the ResQLink+ have a operational life of 24+ hrs which is the minimum standard for PLBs. The McMurdo Fast Find 220 is rated at more than 35 hrs. If you are diving remote 3rd world countries, 24 hrs may be a very short time to get SAR assets to your location by which time your PLB may no longer be operational. You may still need other signalling devices - torch, SOLAS SMB, etc.

If you had both a PLB and the MRG, you could activate the PLB first and activate the MRG 24 hrs later if you are still in the water and have not lost dexterity or become unconscious. SAR assets would probably be able to see the AIS signal. Does anyone know the transmission life of the MRG? Nautilus appears silent on this point.

The other factor to consider is hypothermia. See Hypothermia Table

 

[Dan]

In the recent Apo reef incident involving the Canadian instructor, Philippine coast guard was informed by the boat after the boat had conducted the initial search. This is in accordance with lost diver protocols. You don't need a PLB to have SAR initiated. Contacting SAR is part of lost diver protocol.

He was rescued 9 hrs later by a commercial vessel i.e. Philippine SAR did not get to him within 9 hrs. Does anyone know how close Philippine SAR got to him?

The PLB1 and the ResQLink+ have a operational life of 24+ hrs which is the minimum standard for PLBs. The McMurdo Fast Find 220 is rated at more than 35 hrs. If you are diving remote 3rd world countries, 24 hrs may be a very short time to get SAR assets to your location by which time your PLB may no longer be operational. You may still need other signalling devices - torch, SOLAS SMB, etc.

If you had both a PLB and the MRG, you could activate the PLB first and activate the MRG 24 hrs later if you are still in the water and have not lost dexterity or become unconscious. SAR assets would probably be able to see the AIS signal. Does anyone know the transmission life of the MRG? Nautilus appears silent on this point.

The other factor to consider is hypothermia. See Hypothermia Table

If Philippines coast guard did get alerted, it will be important for them to know the lost diver GPS location. PLB and MRG will provide such location via different sources, i.e., 406 MHz & VHF. Otherwise they have no clue of where to search.

The lost at sea instructor saw his boat, but the boat did not see him. Had he made an arrangement for what if scenario, e.g., the boat VHF radio to listen to channel 16 for DSC distress signal if he has MRG or for checking the current area after an hour of no show, etc. Time is of the essence. The longer the wait, the larger the search area would be. For me it is very important to have such discussion with the crew / boat captain on what to do in case I don’t find the boat after an hour of diving, testing my MRG yellow button or checking the boat VHF radio for DSC capability, or whatever agreement we would make in case of diver lost at sea.

If I were him, I would have launched:
1. My DSMB at depth when the swift current carried me out to the blue.
2. Then my MRG for a couple of hours while boats & ships were still visible in horizon.
3. Once, no more boat were visible or darkness set it, then I launched my PLB1, which also has built in strobe.
4. Once darkness set in, I would strap my other strobe on top of my 6’ SMB.
5. If I heard a ship passing by, the I would lit up the glow stick, tie it to a 6’ string and begin to swirl it over my head and flash SOS (—- ... —-) to the ship.

Time of the essence. The sooner, the better since both MRG & PLB have only 24h battery life. I don’t expect myself to survive after floating for 24hr at sea anyway.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Time of the essence. The sooner, the better since both MRG & PLB have only 24h battery life. I don’t expect myself to survive after floating for 24hr at sea anyway.

Depends on how cold the water is and how quick hypothermia sets in. In tropical 27°C waters or warmer, you can have an agonizing demise if not rescued, over two to three days more so due to dehydration.