A fishing trip could have ended in disaster when a family's boat sank - but fortunately
Inmarsat's global satellite handheld phone IsatPhone Pro was part of their safety
kit.
The American party of seven - including three children - was returning to
shore when their 29-foot (9-metre) vessel took on water and started to capsize, 60
miles (96kms) off the west Florida coast. A mayday call was put out over a VHF radio and everyone was told to jump overboard.
New phone
Experienced sailor James Dutton released a SART search and rescue radar device and grabbed a GPS tracker and the IsatPhone Pro his wife Misty had bought only five days before, from Inmarsat service provider GMPCS.
Experienced sailor James Dutton released a SART search and rescue radar device and grabbed a GPS tracker and the IsatPhone Pro his wife Misty had bought only five days before, from Inmarsat service provider GMPCS.
Floating in the warm Gulf waters - home to a variety of sharks - James rang home on
the satellite phone.
"I was panicked, of course," Misty later told GMPCS. "But I managed to get his co-ordinates
from him and contacted the coast guard."
Clear quality
The couple were able to carry on speaking to each other for more than 30 minutes on a clear quality line while the family waited for help to arrive.
The couple were able to carry on speaking to each other for more than 30 minutes on a clear quality line while the family waited for help to arrive.
The mayday was received by a fishing vessel just four miles away, which immediately
came to their assistance.
James was able to tell his wife he could see their rescuer approaching and put her
mind at rest before he disconnected the call.
The family later contacted GMPCS in Florida to thank them for providing the satellite
phone that contributed to saving seven lives.
Inmarsat