Distress Beacon Detected off South American Coast

Based on data received from the Inmarsat system on February 14, 2024 at 11:56:44 UTC, a distress beacon was detected near the South American coast.

The beacon, identified as a standard location EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon), was registered in the Netherlands. Its last transmitted position placed it at 52° 44.73' South and 105° 54.00' West, approximately 300 miles south of Isla Desolation, Chile.

The message indicates the beacon was first detected at 02:49:06 UTC and last detected at 02:50:42 UTC on February 14th. The position information is reported to be accurate within 2 seconds of latitude and longitude and was acquired via internal GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System).

Unfortunately, the message does not provide any further details about the vessel or individuals in distress. It is unclear whether the beacon was activated intentionally or accidentally.

Authorities are likely responding to the distress signal:

The alert was detected by MEOSAR, a satellite-based search and rescue system, indicating relevant search and rescue teams have been notified.
The Netherlands, as the country of registration, will be involved in coordinating the response.

Due to the limited information available, it is impossible to speculate further on the nature of the distress. It is important to await official updates from search and rescue authorities for any further details.

UPDATE:

Today, February 15 at 23:00 UTC, at a latitude of 54°S and 105°W longitude, approximately 1200 miles from the nearest land, Canadian skipper William MacBrien was successfully rescued from his sinking yacht Phoenix by the Japanese cargo ship Watatsumi.

more info

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

On the night of March 6, 2025, at 22:16 UTC, a crew member of the merchant vessel MV Ariadne fell overboard in the central Adriatic Sea, approximately 30 nautical miles off the Italian coast, at latitude 41°39'N and longitude 16°50'E. Current weather conditions in the area are favorable, aiding search and rescue operations. The Italian Coast Guard promptly initiated search operations, deploying naval units and helicopters to locate the missing mariner. All vessels transiting the area have been alerted and are requested to maintain vigilant watch, reporting any sightings to the National Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (IMRCC) in Rome. The Coast Guard commander emphasized the importance of collaboration among maritime units in emergencies like this, noting that swift intervention is crucial to increasing the chances of successful rescue operations. Search efforts will continue unabated until the missing mariner is found or until authorities deem it necessary to conclude ...

Distress Alert: Sailing Vessel Kiliki Overdue and in Need of Assistance

UPDATE: The crew members were rescued.

The Dramatic Ordeal of M/V CHRISTINA DEBORA: From Mechanical Failure to Abandonment in the Mid-Atlantic

In June 2025, the standby safety vessel CHRISTINA DEBORA , 38.77 meters in length, experienced a maritime emergency that culminated in its abandonment in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after drifting powerless for more than two weeks. The vessel had been sold and reflagged to Zanzibar either shortly before or just after leaving South Africa. The Beginning of the Crisis – June 8, 2025 The ordeal began on Sunday, June 8, when CHRISTINA DEBORA , navigating approximately 300 nautical miles northwest of St. Helena Island, suffered a major clutch failure, completely losing propulsion. Seven crew members were onboard at the time. The distress call was officially reported by MRCC NATAL on June 11: the vessel was adrift and urgently required clutch repair parts as well as potable water. Captain Victor managed to contact Johnny Clingham, the administrator of the Facebook group “St Helena’s Talk Group,” who verified the authenticity of the request and informed the wider maritime community. ...

Sea warnings

Search This Blog