Volunteer lifeboat crews provide vital service
ETV current affairs show "Ringvaade" highlighted the work of volunteer lifeboat crews in Estonia. Organized members must often come to the aid of stricken boats and crews, along Estonia's long coastline.
Volunteer sea rescuer Jaano Martin Ots told "Ringvaade" that the usual course of events is for all nearby vessels rush to assist, in cases where lives may be at risk.
"This includes helicopters, Tallink ferries, and any other vessels in the area, with the operation being overseen by the Police and Border Guard Board's (PPA) maritime rescue coordination center," Ots said.
In cases when there is no clear and present threat to life, the volunteer lifeboats conduct the rescue work alone.
In the Scandinavian region, a network of rescuers has been operating for three years, offering technical or towing assistance to stricken vessels and their crews where needed, and a similar model now exists in Estonia too.
"In Estonia, there are a total of 55 tow response points, with about 700 volunteer maritime rescuers, so most of the coastline is covered," Ots said on this.
The towing network, rather like roadside assistance services on the land, involves paid membership which in turn helps to sustain the volunteer rescuers.
This year so far has already seen seven towing call outs, while the average annual figure is around 50, he went on.
While people who use boats can sign up to the towing service, the number of call-outs for non-members is around three times higher.
Ots also addressed precautions which sailors can take to avoid volunteers and others being called out when they needn't have been.
"Simply having an understanding of what maritime assistance means reduces the risk of an incident from 15 percent to 5 percent," he said.
Taking better care of boats is one such step, Ots went on,
while top sailor and former finance minister Tõnu Tõniste said that nevertheless incidents which can require a volunteer rescue boat call-out will still happen from time to time.
Tõniste told "Ringvaade": "Sails can tear, booms or masts can break, people can get injured, or fall into the water."
"A seasoned sailor might fall overboard, leaving others unable to manage the boat, and causing it to drift further away," Tõniste, who took bronze for Estonia in the men's 470 class at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, went on.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Annika Remmel
Source: 'Ringvaade,' interviewer Kaidor Kahar.
