This week's drownings have again focussed the debate on whether Bermuda needs its own coastguard search and rescue helicopter or boat.

Rescue operations more than 30 miles offshore usually require Harbour Radio to call for assistance from the US Coastguard, sometimes resulting in a C-130 spotter plane being sent from Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Even then, it can take more than two hours for the planes to reach the search area, but it is still much quicker than sending a boat from Bermuda.

Last year, the National Liberal Party (NLP) wrote to Government suggesting it contact the US, the British and Canada to explore using the Island as a multi-national search and rescue centre focussing particularly on incidents to our north-east.

Launching air rescue operations from Bermuda rather than the US East Coast would dramatically cut down on time for mariners in trouble in the busy shipping lanes to the north-east of the Island, said NLP vie-president Graeme Outerbridge.

When the United States closed its naval base on the Island in 1995, taking with them their helicopters, the then United Bermuda Party government decided after a review that it could not justify buying a helicopter for rescue operations.

Scott Simmons of Harbour Radio said yesterday that having a helicopter would be welcome, but would be difficult to justify in cost terms because there were so few serious incidents each year off Bermuda's shores. "When you look at the last ten years and the (relatively few) problems that have come up, it would be nice to have that capability, but is that reasonable, and could the money be spent better in other ways?" he told The Royal Gazette.

"How much use could you expect to get, and combined with the spread of skills and the unique flying environment, we have access to the US Coast Guard. Although we are geographically isolated, we are fortunate that the US has an interest in ensuring the safety of this part of the Atlantic by international agreement. Having said that, it is prudent to review this at any time. You could have a variety of roles and missions, not just search and rescue."

As part of the final deal signed last year when the US finally renounced the right to re-occupy the Baselands, the possibility of the US Coast Guard providing a boat for Bermuda was up for negotiation. The idea was that the Bermuda Regiment - which currently has a crew of 25 on four rigid raft craft similar to Boston Whalers - would operate the vessel.

Bermuda Regiment commanding officer Colonel Eddie Lamb the vessel under discussion was a 41 foot cutter, and while he would welcome it, clear rules would need to be established.

Even with this one vessel, this would not allow the Island to have a full-scale coastguard operation. Col. Lamb said yesterday: "This is an issue Government has been grappling with and we are just playing a waiting game to allow due process.

"Should it come to fruition, Bermuda would gain from such a vessel which would expand our capabilities as a country.

"If that vessel was acquired by the Bermuda Regiment, we would be more than willing to accept, but the roles would have to be clearly specified and there would have to be specialist training. In theory, we are not saying Bermuda should get a fully fledged coastguard service, but it would bring a lot of advantages, but we would have to look at who was employed and how it was manned."

NLP vice-president Mr. Outerbridge said last night: "Having a search and rescue capability for anything between here and the east coast wouldn't be used much, the US would cover that, but when things start out in the north-east, that gets more difficult, and it would give them a time advantage to start from here.

"A lot of international shipping goes through these area and there is at least one serious incident a year."

Transport Minister Dr Ewart Brown said yesterday it was too early to say if there is an increased need for Bermuda to have its own search and rescue capability. "I've learned not to judge a need by a single event, but surely this will help us to better determine how ready we are to handle rescue operations," he said, and promised to look into the details of the vessel the US Coast Guard may offer.