A boating incident on the Taku Arm, near the Yukon-B.C. border, seems to prove that the Very High Frequency Yukon Marine Distress System unveiled just last week is working.

That's the view of Don Hutton, a member of the Yukon Power and Sail Squadron.

Last Sunday, a boat carrying seven people was experiencing difficulty and was starting to tip over. In light of the situation, the boaters made a distress call using the system's channel 16.

The new marine system was just introduced on June 14. It designates channel 16 as an international distress system.

Any boats experiencing difficulties should first put out a call for help on the channel to see if there are any boats nearby that can help them immediately, Hutton told the Star earlier this month.

All boaters and sailors should be monitoring the channel, he said.

The system was in the works for 13 years leading up to its introduction and cost approximately $90,000 in capital investment.

However, it now provides a 24-hour-a-day emergency link for boaters from May to October.

'It's an indication we need it,' said Hutton. 'It's interesting that it comes so shortly after.'

The Carcross search and rescue detachment of the RCMP and the Marsh Lake fire department were informed of last Sunday's distress call. However, both were over an hour's drive away from the boat's location.

While search and rescue personnel were on the way, they heard that the boaters had already been rescued, said Carcross RCMP Cpl. Eric Hendriks.

'They had called and another boater was able to get there within moments,' he said today.

The other boat was able to take the people onboard and the tipped boat safely to shore, said Hendriks.

There were no injuries.