Norwegian economics student Kristen Engevik has an extra special reason to celebrate Father’s day this year. The outdoor loving 22 year old from Oslo was enjoying an extended summer vacation exploring the Hemnes region of Northern Norway when she decided to climb Oksskolten, literally translated as Bulls Head, the tallest peak in the region.
Fortunately Kristen’s father, who was all too aware of his daughter’s passion for adventure and the outdoor life had insisted she carried a Personal Locator Beacon, commonly, referred to as a PLB, in her backpack on her wilderness journeys. Ultimately it was her GME M410G PLB that alerted the Norwegian search and rescue authorities of her plight and directed the rescue helicopter to her position.
Kristin had pre-planned the route to follow, however, she chose to take a small detour and that’s when things started to go terribly wrong. She was within sight of the peak when treading on a loose rock she inadvertently triggered a landslide. Unable to move in any direction, precariously perched on a rock ledge with a straight drop of 1000 metres down to the glacier below, Kiristen activated her GME GPS enabled PLB.
The MT410G’s emergency signal and position coordinates were detected by the Norwegian Rescue Coordination Centre, who despatched a rescue helicopter under the command of Remi Olsen to search for the distressed climber and affect a rescue. Within 3 hours the helicopter located Kristen and a crewman was lowered to winch the 22-year-old to safety.
After her ordeal, and back on solid ground, an ever grateful Kristen thanked the Norwegian rescue crew, her wise father and Seatronics in Norway the local distributor of GME products. She further recommended anyone travelling in the mountains or other unknown territory to be prepared for the unexpected and carry a lightweight PLB.
GME PLBs are available throughout the world from a network of authorised dealers and distributors.
For additional information see www.gme.net.au or contact sgriffin@gme.net.au