Mandatory pyrotechnic use 'nonsensical'

'Two red hand flares and two orange smoke flares' are on the list of lifesaving appliances required on small sea-going commercial vessels for sport or pleasure use, in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) draft Sport & Pleasure Vessel Code of Practice.

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Under the UK Merchant Shipping Regulations certain pyrotechnic distress flares are mandatory for Pleasure Vessels of 13.7m in length and over, and commercial vessels.

PBO contributor Gilbert Park, a retired director of intensive care, argues that this is an outdated, potentially fatal requirement: "Pyrotechnics are a Category 5 explosive device, and carrying on a fuel-powered boat when there are safer alternatives seems nonsensical.

"This was brought home to me when I took my grand-children on a motorboat with 400lt of petrol in the tanks and I realised with horror that flares had to be readily available. I thought 'do I really want to use an explosive device for the first time, in a stressful situation, if my boat may be sinking?"