SEAFARERS can use their phone compass app to give emergency responders their precise position, Jersey Coastguard has advised.
The advice was issued after a vessel travelling from France to Jersey on Wednesday night had a technical failure – prompting the Coastguard to ask the captain to use the app to get the boat’s position.
The Jersey Lifeboat Association were then able to find the boat and tow it to St Helier.
The Coastguard said: “Yesterday evening a motor vessel coming from France to Jersey suffered a technical failure and was unable to make her way back to Jersey.
“Due to technical difficulties with the vessels onboard systems, Jersey coastguard asked the captain of the vessel to use the compass app on their iPhone to give a Lat and Long position.
“In an emergency situation the compass app on an iPhone is a very good way to give an accurate position to the emergency services.”
