EPIRB Self-Test Failure and an Accidental Activation
During a weekly inspection alongside in Mumbai, the GOC holder finds the 406 MHz float-free EPIRB self-test showing a red LED and no strobe flash. The battery expiry is March 2026 and the hydrostatic release unit expiry is November 2025. While he is checking the mounting bracket, the EPIRB is accidentally activated; the vessel is not in distress. The master is concerned about 'unnecessary paperwork' and suggests switching it off and saying nothing. Separately, one of the vessel's two 9 GHz SARTs fails to produce a response on the X-band radar during a test at about 2 nm; the other SART responds normally. The vessel sails in three days.
1. State the immediate actions after the accidental EPIRB activation and explain why the master's suggestion is not acceptable.
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Switch the EPIRB off immediately and keep it available. Notify the nearest RCC (MRCC Mumbai/Indian Coast Guard) by the quickest means - VHF Ch 16, MF/HF DSC/RT or Inmarsat C - and state: vessel name, call sign, MMSI, position (alongside Mumbai), time of activation, beacon hex ID/registration, that there is no distress, and that the activation was accidental. Ask the RCC to cancel the alert. Remain contactable and log the times. Do not remove the battery or open the beacon. 'Switch off and say nothing' is unacceptable: a 406 MHz alert can launch SAR assets, tie up rescue coordination, and create risk to responders. It may also be an offence and can undermine the credibility of future alerts. If the RCC cannot be reached immediately, keep trying and inform the port authority; do not leave the beacon transmitting.
2. How should the EPIRB self-test failure and HRU expiry be managed before sailing?
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Treat the red LED/no strobe as a failed self-test, not as a normal condition. Remove the EPIRB from service and send it to an approved shore service station; do not rely on it for the voyage. Check the battery expiry (March 2026) and the HRU expiry (November 2025): an expired HRU must be replaced before sailing; if the battery is due or the self-test indicates a battery fault, replace it per manufacturer. Confirm the beacon is registered with the Indian authorities and that the hex ID, vessel details and 24-hour contacts are correct. Record the defect, service action and replacement dates. Before the vessel sails, prove the EPIRB is back in its bracket, armed and passing self-test. If it cannot be repaired in three days, obtain a replacement beacon; the vessel should not sail without a functioning 406 MHz EPIRB.
3. What checks and decisions apply to the SART that failed the radar test?
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The failed SART should be checked on board: battery condition/expiry, sea switch, mounting, instruction label and test procedure. Test it with an X-band (9 GHz) radar at a safe distance and with the radar tuned, but do not test near other vessels or in a way that creates false responses. If the other SART responds and this one does not, swap batteries/mounts only if permitted; otherwise treat the unit as defective. It must be repaired or replaced by an approved service station. Because the vessel is required to carry two SARTs for its size, sailing with one failed unit is a GMDSS deficiency. Record the test, defect and replacement. Also brief the crew on the difference between test and real activation and on the fact that a SART is a locating device, not a distress-alerting device.