Falklands : Falklands Patrol Vessel Rescues French Yacht
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 13.03.2005 (Article Archived on 27.03.2005)
The FPV SIGMA” has been involved in a rescue of the French Yacht KIFOUINE on 11 and 12 March 2005. At 2209 on 11 March, Fisheries Operations, located at FIPASS, received information from the Falkland Islands Company (FIC) that the yacht from La Rochelle, France, had called via VHF radio from the Sea Lion Island area for assistance.
FALKLANDS PATROL VESSEL RESCUES FRENCH YACHT
By J. Brock (FINN)
The FPV SIGMA” has been involved in a rescue of the French Yacht KIFOUINE on 11 and 12 March 2005. At 2209 on 11 March, Fisheries Operations, located at FIPASS, received information from the Falkland Islands Company (FIC) that the yacht from La Rochelle, France, had called via VHF radio from the Sea Lion Island area for assistance. This information was relayed to FIC from a fishing vessel operating in the near vicinity.
The yacht’s crew generated a “PAN PAN” call because it experienced steering gear failure. Pan Pan is a non-immediate life threatening distress call.
No vessel in the immediate area was willing to assist the yacht, so the decision was taken to dispatch FPV SIGMA at 2320 hours to give assistance. The SIGMA arrived on the scene at 0635 on 12 March and engineers, after ascertaining the problem, decided to tow the yacht back to Stanley for repairs. After beginning the tow at 1026 hrs, the Sigma took thirteen hours to reach Port William. The Sulivan launch, Frank Wild brought the yacht alongside FIPASS, where it will be repaired.
At the end of the incident the Fisheries Department thanked all who were involved in the rescue of the KIFOUINE and its crew. Especially mentioned were Byron Marine Limited, the Captain and crew of FPV SIGMA and the crew of the Sulivan launch, Frank Wild for all their efforts and assistance.
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