Bernard Matthews II
   
     
Search for Missing Fisherman 1st November 2006    
     
Picture (C) Copyright Rob Howarth of Albanpix.
The Bernard Matthews II carrying out a search for a missing fisherman lost at sea after being hit by a 20ft wave at Kessingland, Suffolk, 1st November 2006.

This was the first callout that made full use of the newly installed AIS-A tracking system. H.M. Coastguards at Great Yarmouth and as far away as Southampton were able to monitor the position of the lifeboat precisely as it performed a box search pattern with the crew looking for the fisherman.

The lifeboat was joined by 2 Air Sea Rescue helicopters and Lowestoft lifeboat but unfortunately the search was later called off when all areas had been checked without the missing man being found.

     
     
Caister Lifeboat is first to use hi-tech rescue system EDP 29th November 2006
     


ADVANCED SCREENING: Great Yarmouth HM Coastguard HQ in
Haven Bridge House, Great Yarmouth, where they are starting to
use the new location technology system AIS in conjunction with
Caister Lifeboat. Picture Angela Sharpe EDP 29/11/06


  
LIFE SAVER: The new location technology system (AIS) which
Caister Lifeboat has just had installed on its boat. It is thought
to be the first lifeboat in the country to use the system.
The signal can now also be monitored by the HM Coastguard in Yarmouth. Picture Angela Sharpe EDP 29/11/06
 

Chris Rose and his wife hand over a donation to
Chairman Harry Barker and Fund raising Secretary
Jackie Dixon at the Friends of Caister Lifeboat open day.
Picture by Anthony Benson 30/04/06

  
A Norfolk lifeboat is the first in the country to be fitted with a new hi-tech system designed to save precious minutes during a rescue. Caister’s jet-propelled offshore boat, the Bernard Matthews II, has installed an automatic identification system (AIS) at a cost of £6,500 thanks to a donation from local benefactor Chris Rose.

Richard Miles, engineer of the independent lifeboat, said that AIS was already used by all commercial vessels of more than 300 tons. He said: “If a vessel is in trouble and has the system we can locate its position on our AIS screen with total precision.		 “Instead of relying on a blip on the radar and someone giving you their position which is not so easy if there are a lot of other ships within a five-mile radius.”

Yarmouth Coastguard watch manager Wayne Brunning said AIS was a tremendous help to them, especially during a complicated rescue with several lifeboats involved. Caister’s could now be constantly tracked from a screen at their Haven Bridge House HQ without the need for time-wasting calls to find their exact position. The AIS system is already universally adopted in the Dutch lifeboat service, but has yet to be brought in by the RNLI.