NT Distress beacon a timely alert (Darwin)
A fisherman’s distress beacon alert has turned out to be a timely false alarm in Darwin.
A CareFlight rescue helicopter crew tracked the signal from the man’s EPIRB beacon to the boat he was launching at Darwin Yacht Club late yesterday.
The beacon was activated as the man left his home with the trailer boat to go fishing and the signal was picked up by commercial aircraft flying into Darwin.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority headquarters quickly called the CareFlight helicopter which is stationed at Darwin to provide medical and rescue support to the NT Government.
After tracking the moving signal along roads, the crew landed near the launching ramp as the man was preparing to set out fishing.
CareFlight’s chief air crewman, Daniel Warring, said the beacon was in poor condition which led to the accidental triggering.
Mr Warring said it was a timely alert for recreational boating people to replace their old 121.5 MHz beacons with the more reliable 406 MHz current version of EPIRBS.
Since the 121.5 system was decommissioned last month, satellites no longer monitor the frequency to alert AMSA, so alerts may prove more difficult for the national search and rescue centre to detect.
Mr Warring said old EPIRBS should have their battery removed then safely disposed before being replaced with the new, far more reliable, 406 Beacons.
ENDS: For further information please contact NRMA CareFlight director Ian Badham on 0418 245 748.
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