’Hams' aid rescue
Two Christchurch amateur radio enthusiasts played a vital part last evening in the rescue of a 23 m shrimp boat which was sinking off the coast of Jamaica.
Mr Malcolm Gordon, of Boon Hay, was talking to an American radio “ham” in lowa about 8.40 p.m. when a Mayday call came through on the frequency he was using.
The distress cail was from the shrimp boat Carmen, which reported it was sinking about 160 km west of Jamaica.
The boat, with three crew on board, was shipping a lot of water and could only have stayed afloat for another eight hours. Mr Gordon, with the help of a friend, Mr Rod Campbell, working a radio at Halswell, was able to relay the information to other stations in the United States, who got in touch with the Miami Coast Guard. Radio contact with the Carmen was maintained spasmodically for about an hour before fading away.
However, this, was long enough for the Coast Guard to be notified of the boat’s position, and at the time contact was lost Mr Gordon was confident the rescue would be completed.
Mr Gordon has been a radio “ham” for 22 years, but had never picked up an international Mayday call before last evening.
He hopes to hear the outcome of the drama from one of the 10 American enthusiasts he spoke to during the evening.
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Press, 26 April 1979, Page 6
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233’Hams' aid rescue Press, 26 April 1979, Page 6
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