Emergency in the Med? Who do you call?

haydude said:
This is an interesting subject that might sparkle an heated debate.

EUROPE (INCLUDING BRITAIN) DO HAVE A COMMON EMERGENCY SERVICES NUMBER.

THE NUMBER IS: 112

This number was established about 12 years ago to ensure that every citizen only had to remember one number: "One One Two", wherever they went. Some in the UK believe this is the number to call from a mobile phone, instead this is the universal emergency services number working also from every landline, in the UK too.

So why is the UK still using 999 alongside 112? It is because of the usual nationalistic reasons. The UK too adopted 112 in alignment to the European Union standards, but the authorities continued to use and advertise 999 as the emergency number instead.

Is this favouring UK citizens? No it is not, it is favouring only the pride of the obtuse. Because in fact somebody coming from Europe to the UK who will be in the unfortunate situation to having to call the emergency services, will dial 112 like back home, and he/she will get through.

A UK citizen instead travelling abroad will be totally unaware of the standardization and most importantly, the correct number to call:

1 1 2

One One Two
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One, One, Two
Now that will do
Nine, Nine, Nine
How ass-i-nine
 
daniel.. said:
Yes, if you need to, you can issue a MAYDAY in Channel 16 (or in 2.182 kHz MW). Both coastal stations, rescue centers and all boats in navigation worldwide are/should be listening.
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Not quite correct - there is no longer an obligation to listen on 2182. The obligation is to keep a watch on 2187.5, the MF DSC frequency, so all distress calls should be on DSC.

Even merchant shipping are not obliged to listen on Ch16, they are obliged to keep a DSC Ch70 distress watch.

A VHF voice mayday should be picked up by each country's MRCCs.
 
Italian Coast Guard services are free. Call them on usual frequencies or by mobile phone as the Italians do! Salvamento Maritimo charge as already posted - it's not cheap but it is negotialble.

Anybody else will quite rightly charge (you wouldn't expect a garage to tow your car home for free would you?) for rescue/salvage apart from the RNLI. Although the crew can if they want, but I'm told they have to pay the 'hire' of thre lifeboat and any other services so it's prohibitively expensive.

People are quite happy to save your life & your boat, but they expect to be compensated for it. I don't see why people get quite so worked about it?
 
Hi,
in my country, Spain, you are listend all day long in channel 16, plus DSC radio. So, it is up to you the way you ask for help.

Here, to save lifes is TOTALLY free, obviously. What you have to pay is if you want your boat to be rescued or towed. Then they pass you the bill, and then you, if covered by your insurance, pass it to it.

Don´t listen to silly comments such as that one that says that "Spanish fishermen take saving leisure yachts as a bussiness" as it is a stupid sentence that creates a false alarm. Once case doesn´t make a rule.
 
Kibo said:
Hi,
in my country, Spain, you are listend all day long in channel 16, plus DSC radio. So, it is up to you the way you ask for help.

Here, to save lifes is TOTALLY free, obviously. What you have to pay is if you want your boat to be rescued or towed. Then they pass you the bill, and then you, if covered by your insurance, pass it to it.

Don´t listen to silly comments such as that one that says that "Spanish fishermen take saving leisure yachts as a bussiness" as it is a stupid sentence that creates a false alarm. Once case doesn´t make a rule.
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I am not Spanish but +1.
Saving a life is free, it's a matter of seamanship.
Saving a vessel is another story. If they charge you and you have a decent insurance then pass the bill to them. They will at least negotiate.
 
Great selection of answers there. Thanks to all contributors.

It would appear that there is emergency help there if needed. The idea to call 112 if near enough to the coast is very useful. The Med around Spain, SOF, Mallorca etc is a very busy place during the summer and I'm sure that any boater in the area would assist if they can.

SWMBO is a registered nurse and has helped others in the past, I've towed other craft into a safe marina on a few occaisions, all obviously without charge. We are, after all, a community of decent people - aren't we?
 
My chum who kept his T43 in Majorca and Nice.Always said his worse worry was the simple lack of any response on ch16 when going between the islands.
Have always thought that boaters in UK are only dimly aware of how lucky we are to have RNLI and you only have to read some of the stories in boaty press to catch a glimpse just how different things are down in the Med compared to here.
One story that comes to mind was a couple more or less left to fend for themselves when their boat was driven ashore in a storm and wrecked.
 
If the UK was to declare boats unseaworthy following a mayday call and insist on a survey to be allowed to continue it might just reduce the number of twits calling maydays because their mojito's were warm or the donk was out of fuel.
 
peterandjeanette said:
Preferably NOT Ghost Busters.

We are very fortunate in the UK to have the CG, RNLI, India Bravo etc who will respond to Mayday calls.

But who do you call when an emergency happens off the Spanish/French meditteranean coast?

Just put out a "mayday" and hope someone in your area may be listening? Does someone keep a listening watch on Ch 16?
Does anyone respond ............

or are you on your own?


Serious post as we are moving out to the Med in a few weeks time and SWMBO (and me) likes to know these things well in advance.
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Having lost a boat in El Perello( Spain) three years ago I can assure you that the only people who responded to our Mayday were , wierdly, the British coastguard who were informed by my stepson in Chichester . They in turn relayed the message to the ' 'Salvateurs' who bravely came out, took a look at our situation then courageously went back to Valencia, leaving us to our own devices. Evidently these guys are paid by salvage from insurance claims and as we were in a harbour mouth it appeared that the harbour would be getting the salvage money !! In a word, rely on no-one, the Med is a big scary place with horrible off season weather and peculiar wave patterns. If you go there you are on your own. Oh and by the way, brush up on your Spanish/French as the £100/night harbours seldom have an english speaker on their staff. Good Luck
 
However if I was going " over the hills and far away" I would take a Satellite phone with me, then you could send your Mayday to the maritime Rescue centre at Falmouth, They will then contact the nearest rescue centre to you. I would also broadcast on Channel 16, a lots of us "old timers" still have faith in Channel 16.

Peter you would also have the advantage that Jeanette could contact all her friends, all the time.
 
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