Channel 16
Channel 16
A transcript of radio communications between the Tarifa Rescue Coordination Centre and the fishing vessel Santa Elena. The Santa Elena had sunk thirty years earlier
Tarifa RCC: html1.html
02:34 h — INCOMING SIGNAL ON CHANNEL 16
[Static noise. Intermittent VHF signal]
Santa Elena: ...Tarifa RCC... Tarifa RCC... this is Santa Elena... mayday...
Tarifa RCC: This is Tarifa RCC. Santa Elena, reading you. Over.
[Static. 8 seconds of interference]
Santa Elena: Tarifa RCC, this is Santa Elena, fishing vessel, skipper Jacinto Vela. We've got water in the hold. Engine failure. Need assistance. Over.
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, received. What's your position? Over.
Santa Elena: Position twenty-two miles southwest of Tarifa. Heading 230. Sea's really rough. We've got easterly gale force winds. Over.
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, confirming your position. How many crew on board? Over.
Santa Elena: Four crew. Skipper's me, Jacinto Vela. Eusebio, Rafael, and the boatswain Tomas. All on board. Over.
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, do you have EPIRBs activated? Over.
Santa Elena: Negative. EPIRB failed this morning. No response. We're using the handheld VHF. Battery at forty percent. Over.
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, confirming MMSI signal 224301180. Going to verify registration. Stand by on this channel. Over.
[Pause. Tarifa RCC checks vessel registration system]
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, can you confirm home port? Over.
Santa Elena: Barbate. Port of Barbate, Cadiz. We've been sailing out of there for fifteen years. Over.
[Long pause. 18 seconds]
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, I'm checking your identification in the registry. Please stand by. Over.
Santa Elena: Tarifa RCC, this is urgent. We've been bailing water for an hour. If the engine doesn't start in the next few minutes, we're going down. Over.
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, I understand the urgency. One moment. Over.
[Pause. The operator consults with the shift supervisor]
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, the MMSI you're transmitting from corresponds to a decommissioned vessel. Need you to confirm identity. Can you read the transponder serial number? Over.
Santa Elena: Tarifa RCC, the transponder is in the wheelhouse. Can't read it from here. What do you mean, decommissioned? This boat's been fishing for years. Over.
Tarifa RCC: Santa Elena, according to our records, your vessel was decommissioned in 1994. I need to verify this information. On what date did you depart from Barbate? Over.