Darwen sailor's radio mayday ‘test’ sparks rescue drama (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Darwen sailor's radio mayday ‘test’ sparks rescue drama

11:24am Tuesday 6th September 2011 in News Exclusive By Kate Proctor, Reporter

A MAJOR rescue operation was launched after a sailor from Darwen accidentally made a may-day call while testing his radio on Ullswater.

Rescue crews spent nearly two hours searching for the man and his yacht after he sent a message to coast guards saying: ‘may-day, may-day, I’m sinking’.

The sailor, who is said to be in his 50s, had been showing a passenger and his grand-children how the radio worked when he accidentally pressed the transmitter button and sent his message direct to Liverpool coast guards at 5pm on Friday.

After being unable to get back in touch with him they deployed a rescue boat and members of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team who searched for the sailor from the shore.

Ullswater Steamer boat crewmen also helped by stopping and checking craft as they made their way across the lake near to Howtown Bay.

The man was eventually found safe and well at 6.30pm on his boat which was moored in Howtown Bay, unaware of the search operation to try and find him.

Watch manager Paul Kelly, of Liverpool Coast Guard Station, said: “The gentleman was extremely apologetic when we found him as he hadn’t realised what he had done but we would like to say that while testing radios is important, please familiarise yourself with your equipment.

“Around 12 men were sent out to find the man which of course is a cost to the tax payer.

"Luckily we weren’t needed anywhere else, but if there had been another incident in that area it could have caused problems.”

A spokesperson for the mountain rescue team said: “A search was undertaken assisted by boats from a local outdoor centre that form part of the Ullswater Lake Search and Rescue Association.

“The yacht and its occupants were eventually located safe and well on a mooring.

"It transpired the call was a training exercise which unknowingly had been transmitted on the emergency frequency.”