Livewire Connections support injured servicemen to row the Atlantic

Livewire Connections provided satellite communications to six British servicemen who recently completed an inspiring campaign to row 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canaries to Barbados in support of Help for Heroes, SSAFA Forces Help and ABF-The Soldiers Charity.

Setting off on 5th December 2011 the crew of six, made up of two able bodied and four injured servicemen, had to be entirely self-sufficient from the starting port until reaching the finishing port, on 25th January 2012. Less than 500 people have rowed across the Atlantic, more have climbed Everest and travelled into space, so the crew knew it was not going to be an easy feat, which would push them to their very limits. In fact with 1,000 still to go, their race became a fight for survival as disaster struck when water desalinator, the equipment which makes seawater drinkable, failed to work. It was during particular part of the race that the Livewire Connections equipment and expertise in marine satellite communications came into its own.

Livewire Connections in conjunction with Marine Camera Solutions supplied an Inmarsat FleetBroadband system to provide voice communications, internet, email access and the ability to send live video from the boat to the shore. This level of technology was essential for the campaign to provide the media, especially ITV, with good quality audio and video to raise the profile of the event engaging the public to donate with such generosity.

Fighting for survival with no means to get access to fresh water, the race organisers provide dispensation in order for rescue crews to get supplies to race crews when they can. The crew of Row 2 Recovery ended up rowing for 10 days surviving on ballast water alone until the support vessel arrived. The crew were safe and happy in the knowledge their rescue mission was underway with additional water supply and spare parts for their broken desalinator. It is thanks to the reliable and efficient Inmarsat FleetBroadband controlled and managed by Livewire Connections, the team, race organisers and shore team managed to successfully communicate and coordinate the rendezvous with the support vessel.

Although the Row 2 Recovery challenge may be over there is still more money to be raised. The inspiring crew, including four who have been badly injured by rocket-propelled grenades and suicide bombers while on service in Afghanistan and Iraq are hoping to raise over £1million. To date they have raised approximately £800,000, please dig deep and donate to such a fantastic campaign that look to further inspire and support service personnel and their families. www.row2recovery.com