Safety alert for Pirolec Red Rocket Parachute Flare L-35

[chrisr]

sounds like a terrible tragedy

https://nos.nl/artikel/2458493-neder...euwjaars-flare


suspect an old flare ?

we have often saved old flares for nye, but never ever at sea unless in distress

anyway, all sympathy for family and friends

cheers,

[Jammer]

Machine translation, lightly edited:

A crew member of a Dutch sailing ship on the Pacific Ocean has died while celebrating New Year's Eve. The ship was sailing on the high seas when the 23-year-old man from Delft fired a flare just after midnight as an alternative to fireworks.


Flares are intended to attract the attention of other ships in emergency situations with a smoke signal. When firing it went horribly wrong: the flare exploded in the man's hand. He was resuscitated and contact was made with an emergency doctor via satellite phone, but that was no longer of any use.


The sailing ship with four Dutch passengers was on its way from Curaçao to Tahiti, the Dutch police reported. The exact location of the accident has not been disclosed. The ship sails to the nearest port.


The National Police Unit is investigating the incident. The Dutch Safety Board has also been informed, but it is not known whether it will also investigate.

[Bill O]

Never liked hand held flares after trying them out. They are potentially too easy to get a severe burn on your body or if you accidentally drop it on the boat, will burn the f/g. This story adds a new twist of an exploding one.

We mainly carry rocket type flares to be shot out of a gun. My preferred launcher is metal, not a plastic gun.

The only other possibility is a "newer" electronic flare, which is great at night but not too useful during the daytime.

[neilpride]

This reminds me of a New Year's Eve in Bequia. I ended up putting out one of those flares that landed on my deck destroying and burning the forward hatch, I don't understand how people don't realize how dangerous it is.

[gonesail]

i like the idea of a flare gun too. never like to hold fire works anyway

[thinwater]

And this is one reason why the USCG began the process of developing electronic flares. Because of accidents.

[JPA Cate]

Good thing that they have satphone on board. They will have to work out what to do with the body; especially all the documentation. And now they are shorthanded for the rest of the leg of the voyage. Poor guys, they must also be grieving, and then there's the family to consider, as well. What an awful thing to happen.

Ann

[boatman61]

Flare pistols are illegal this side of the pond.. hence hand held flares.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Flare pistols are illegal this side of the pond.. hence hand held flares.

What about self contained rockets? I prefer the solas rated ones

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

What about self contained rockets? I prefer the solas rated ones

I presume you mean these but they are still hand held.

[Zanshin]

I just saw a 1000 foot SOLAS flare deployed (New Year's eve here in Dominica) and was impressed by the altitude it reached and how long it brightened the sky. Corollary is that it takes a lot of energy/propellant to get that high! I've had a small flare blow up in training just after it left my hand and escaped with no injuries, but it was uncomfortable. Not as bad as a 7290FB going off just as I threw it. That left some skin scars, but luckily nothing more!

[svtickles]

Can I get rid of the flares onboard my vessel (in Greece)?

[Zanshin]

In Germany you can bring them to a fire department for disposal. Perhaps that would be an option in Greece as well. I assume you mean disposing of old, expired flares.

[skipperpete]

In France you can get rid of them in protest marches, even in sleepy old Arles they use flares during the marches through town. The marina at Port St Louis du Rhône where my boat lives has a flare collection and disposal plan for the Marina customers.

[StuM]

A safety alert has been issued by the Dutch Safety Board for the use of Pirolec Red Rocket Parachute Flare L-35/L35A, batch 0525/2021 – 113.
The Spanish manufacture of the flares, Lecea, has also issued a recall for the device.
The announcement comes after a 23-year-old Dutch sailor died after firing a flare from a boat in the Pacific Ocean on New Year’s Day. It is believed the flare exploded in his hand.

https://www.pbo.co.uk/news/safety-al...ign=socialflow