>> BY RELEASING A SAFETY CATCH and depressing the ‘hot button’, a signal is transmitted on the 406 Mhz frequency via satellite down to an earth station from where a search and rescue operation is coordinated. Depending on how far out Moksha is from land either a coastguard vessel will be dispatched or passing ships diverted to the latitude and longitude position broadcast by the EPIRB. The unit will keep transmitting for several weeks until the battery runs out.

Needless to say, if there’s one thing you should remember to take before abandoning ship it’s the EPIRB!