Coast Guards to launch advance communication system

Mumbai, Jan 31 (UNI) The Indian Coast Guard will celebrate its 31st anniversary tomorrow by launching an advanced communications system to help troubled fishermen on the high seas.

The newest communication equipment being deployed is the Distress Alert Transmitters (DAT), which is designed and developed by Ahmedabad based Space Application Centre of ISRO.

DAT is a low-cost transmitter with an in-built Global Position System (GPS) to communicate the time and place details. Fishermen can use them to pass on messages for help to the Indian Coast Guard, whenever they face serious and critical situation in the deep sea, said a release here today .

The emergency message would reach the Coast Guard station hub centre, which in turn would immediately initiate rescue operation alerting the coast guards at relevant centres.

The dedicated efforts of the coast guard has resulted in saving 4,049 lives in the sea till date, out of which 185 lives were saved only in the last year, the release added.

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