Training exercise involved white flares
15/03/2021
Jersey RNLI crew members have carried out a man overboard exercise involving white collision avoidance flares.
Jersey Coastguard warned beforehand that the flares being used by St Catherine RNLI lifeboat were not distress flares. They were used as a warning to other vessels.
The flares were deployed in the training exercise taking place off the north-east coast.
A Jersey Coastguard spokesperson says, “Collision avoidance flares are designed to warn other vessels that another boat is near and are white, whereas distress flares are red in colour, ignite at an altitude of 300 metres and burn for approximately 40 seconds.
“Any sightings of RED distress flares should be reported by dialling 999 and asking for Jersey Coastguard.”
Two days earlier, RNLI Jersey carried out an exercise involving an injured walker. They needed to be recovered by the all-weather lifeboat.
A spokesperson says, “Training exercises like this are really important in preventing skill fade and developing critical thinking under pressure for our crews.”
The image is credit of St Catherine RNLI.
