MCA: flares still crucial
Pyrotechnic flares, rather than Electronic Visual Distress Signals (EVDS) should still be used if a yacht is in distress or needs immediate assistance, according to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
The agency’s long standing advice has just been renewed with the publication of Marine Information Notice (MIN) 542. The MIN expires on 1 March 2022. In the UK, only coded boats and owners of boats over 45ft are required to carry flares, although many cruising sailors do carry them.
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS) sets the standards for distress alerting equipment. The MCA’s marine technology policy lead on life-saving appliances, Rob Taylor, said there are no known EVDSs which are compliant with the SOLAS technical performance standards.
He added there was ‘no conclusive evidence that the carriage of pyrotechnic flares presents more of a risk than a benefit to safety’ and, having assessed the use of flares during incidents and consulted with search and rescue professionals and small vessel operators/owners, the MCA believes ‘pyrotechnic flares still play a crucial role in alerting rescuers and locating those in distress.’
The difficulty of disposing of old flares and their limited shelf life has led to calls for the MCA to reconsider its advice. The RYA cites DSC VHF, Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) as some of the ‘great safety devices’ available for initiating a distress alert. It adds that AIS and EVDS can be used to help pinpoint a yacht in distress.