[Estarzinger]

We just got this message from a friend's wife. Her husband's epirb went off and he dropped off the nets and e-mail. The local SAR does not seem to have many assets/capabilities. We don't know Indonesia very well, anyone have any suggestions as to any other actions she should take?


Great to hear from you and get the photos. Life is stressful for me right now. Terry and "No Komis" are the subject of a search by Search & Rescue, Indonesia. The EPIRB went off last Sat afternoon, transmitted for about 25 hours and stopped. There has been no sailmail since Nov28. Terry was leaving the next day for a brief overnight passage of 100nm. This could be a series of events, none serious, but then again, who knows. Any one thing is no problem, but putting them together does make you wonder what has happened. Maybe he is sitting on a beach sitting under a palm tree, in a little village that has never even heard of the internet, drinking cold Bintangbeer and eating mangoes, totally oblivious to all the chaos he has left in his wake. His brothers have now contacted Consular Services so they are dealing with people in Indonesia. Dealing with the EPIRB people has been awful. I guess they make 2 phone calls, one to the emergency contact, one to the country where the signal went off....that's it. I have been contacting people to get the health & welfare msg out on the nets. We have heard nothing. Will let you know when I know. I want this to have a happy ending. Hugs, Barbara

[JeanneP]

Some places in Indonesia are worse than others. Do you know where he was in Indonesia when he communicated by Sailmail Nov. 28? Indonesia's so complicated with over 1,000 islands, it helps to have a general idea of location.

[Estarzinger]

I have asked for the lat/longs of the epirb position, and last know position. Should get them tomorrow, will post them.

[enaid]

Hello, we have just sailed through Indonesia on the Sail Indonesia rally and the man who managed the rally from the Indonesian side Raymond Lesmana, is incredibly helpful, has friends in high places and may be able to help you. Please email me at (cruzingmurphs AT gmail.com) for his number. If we can be of any further assistance please do email me. Good Luck, our thoughts are with you.

This post has been edited by Lighthouse: 06 December 2007 - 05:51 PM
Reason for edit: Obscured the email address to hide it from "bots".

[Estarzinger]

This additional information:

The Canadian Embassy is involved with officials in Jakarta who contacted SAR, Jakarta. They have been instructed to search for one week. SAR Jakarta passed the file onto the closest SAR office which is Tanjung Pinang, Bintan Island, lat: 0.54.36N, 104.270E to conduct the search which is ongoing using Navy and Coast Guard resources. Apparently, the weather is not good right now, winds are strong and seas of 2 to 4 metres. They are unable to get there due to weather conditions, but will do so as soon as weather permits. Hopefully, by the time you read this, conditions will be better.

I had flown home from Bali to have Christmas with my family and Terry was taking the boat from Bali to Singapore. He got to Muntoc, Bangka Island, spent 2 nights there, got fuel and provisions. The last sailmail from him was Nov28, position lat: 02.05S, long:105.10E from Muntoc. He was leaving the next morning from Muntoc for an overnight of 100nm which would get him to Lingga. On Dec.1, Terry's brother received a call from the EPIRB office saying they received a hit. To my knowledge, they have never supplied us with their lat/long info, but then I get this second hand. The epirb transmitted for 25 hours, then stopped. Again, poor info from epirb officials, saying within 3 miles(no specific direction) of the last position, which was what I supplied in the first place. There has been no contact from Terry since Nov.28.

EDIT: We have received new info from SAR, Indonesia on No Komis: Last known position from the EPIRB 02-12-07 lat:00.43S, long:105.106E@17:45gmt.

I'm confident he completed the overnight and is in some anchorage. Possibly, the alternator died and he has no power for anything, not even a cold beer.
But, when you combine the epirb with the lack of communication, it's worth investigating. Either incident on it's own would not be a concern.

The yacht No Komis is a Fraser 41 sloop, white hull, white sails,black dodger, white bimini with a red Tinker dinghy overturned on the foredeck.
Also on the foredeck are about 7 jerry cans in total divided between sb and port, and a black outboard engine on the sb side. There are 2 solar panels aft, one on each side. There is a wind generator sb side with a Canadian flag under the blades. The boat name is painted on the sb and port bow and also on the transom with port of registry, Vancouver, B.C.

Here is the other info you requested: there is marine VHF & HF(no HAM), no radio sked, only position reports done by sailmail to YOTREPS, boat #CFL3844, no Winlink.

From Lingga, Terry was heading north through the Riau group to Nongsa, Batam Island to do his Indonesia check-out before heading to Singapore. If he couldn't do the clearance in Nongsa, he was going to Sekupang, 15nm west of Nongsa. He estimated a couple of stops between Lingga and Nongsa because there were anchorages available. Normally, he only stops for 1 night in an anchorage.

Brunei Bay radio has been broadcasting an alert 12x a day with the weather report, the German net has the info and another net in Malaysia, Sandeq?

Thanks for your help. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything.

Warm regards,
Barbara

This post has been edited by Estarzinger: 06 December 2007 - 09:56 PM

[Estarzinger]

Looking at that latest location (in deep water but relatively dense shipping) and time (1am local) I am concerned he may have been run down by shipping.

[MMNETSEA]

Estarzinger, on Dec 7 2007, 03:44 AM, said:

Looking at that latest location (in deep water but relatively dense shipping) and time (1am local) I am concerned he may have been run down by shipping.

Hello Barbara,

Thanks for all the information, which I will use on the HF mobile maritime net S.E Asia net in half an hours time .
The question of being able to communicate effectively at this time is determined by propagation. which is extraordinarily VERY poor at this time !!! (this could also be a factor when considering lack of sailmail reports to YOTREPS at Pangolin. )
The location of the Epirb position is west of the big ship lanes, the Caster bank is only 23 metres - but many local fishing boats are in those waters.
I am fairly confident that we will have news soon.

Stay well

Richard

[MMNETSEA]

Hello Barbara,

I have spoken to a number of yachts in South East Asian waters this morning 7th Dec. 0045 UTC .
One Yacht S/Y Dancyn ( KI4 WFP) is some 180 nm south of the Epirb position and John is now proceeding to that position. Other yachts and land based hams are calling on frequencies used by yachts , to establish contact or get info. I will involve other yachts during the day.

Have you considered contacting the Singapore SAR ??

The address of the Rescue Co-ordination Centre is as follows:-

The Singapore Rescue Co-ordination Centre
60, Biggin Hill Road
Singapore 509950
Tel : (65) 65425024 Fax : (65) 65422548
Tel : (65) 65412668 or (65) 65412698 - SATCC
AFS : WSJCZGZX or WSJCYCYX
Email : CAAS_RCC@caas.gov.sg
Website :
http://www.caas.gov.sg/caas/en/About_CAAS/...ue/?__locale=en

[Estarzinger]

Hi Richard, Thanks very very much for the help. I forwarded your messages on to Barbara and sent her a link to this thread.

Evans

[Estarzinger]

From Barbara to Richard:

I have been doing pretty good, until I read your last email, and the fact that Dancyn is proceeding to Terry's last known position. I just burst into tears with gratitude. Please pass on my heartfelt thanks to him. Also, let him know that SAR, Indonesia are involved in the search utilizing the Navy and Coast Guard.

I am awaiting confirmation of the lat/long from the SAR report. The long looks a little odd.

I'll keep in touch.

Warm regards,
Barbara

[Auzzee]

Well done Richard! Let's hope for a positive result.
Cheers and best wishes,
David.

[Estarzinger]

New information from the EPIRB office. They now say the last know position just as the epirb went out was:

This is the last recorded EPIRB position from the Alameda office: lat:
00.44.7S, long:105.06.2E transmitted at 0059Z, Dec,02/07.

They can't explain what the previous position (lat:00.43S, long:105.106) they gave us was, but the two are not too far apart.