An injured hiker at Eldon Bluff, Tasmania, has a GME MT410G Emergency Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to thank for a swift response by emergency services.
About 6:30 pm on Sunday the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Canberra advised Tasmanian police of an activated beacon in the state’s west.
A 57-year-old woman from Primrose Sands had suffered a knee injury. The Westpac Rescue helicopter arrived at the location at 8:17 pm and found the woman.
The helicopter was able to land and the woman was flown to Derwent Bridge.
Police said she was in a satisfactory condition. Sergeant Matthew Drumm said the incident highlighted the necessity of bushwalkers carrying personal locator beacons. “You can’t overstate their importance,” he said.
Courtesy of The Advocate 24th March 2015.