Zelim, an Edinburgh-based sea survival innovator, has launched an unmanned / manned remote-control rescue vessel for persons who have fallen into water.
Guardian, an 8.4m long, 2.5m wide aluminum-hulled Next Generation Fast Rescue Craft, was unveiled to the maritime industry at the SMM Trade Fair in Hamburg, Germany.
Designed for rapid deployment to recover both conscious and unconscious man-overboard casualties, the Guardian can operate in conditions that conventional solutions might find challenging or too dangerous.
As it nears the person in the water, the vessel heads toward the casualty, who is then recovered from the water by the rescue conveyor, which is designed to grip and recover immersed casualties, while minimizing the risk to casualties from the loss of hydrostatic pressure. The conveyor can pull two survivors to safety at the same time.
“Sea survival is hugely dependent on the time it takes to retrieve individuals from the water, but inclement weather can prohibit the launch of manned rescue craft and lives are needlessly lost,” said Zelim founder and innovator Sam Mayall.
“Ship crews have little time to carry out an effective rescue before maritime conditions prevent the casualty from assisting in their own rescue. When rescue vessels approach, many survivors simply don’t have the strength to pull themselves to safety. This is even more difficult when they are unconscious or unresponsive. Guardian has been designed to ensure more people can be rescued in the harshest of weather conditions,” Mayall said.
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