Emergency crews were sent on a wild goose chase this afternoon after an an emergency beacon on a boat was inadvertently activated between Coromandel and Auckland.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was sent out to search for the source of the beacon at about 12.30pm today.
However, when they flew over the area there was no emergency, Rescue Coordination Centre spokeswoman Sian Routledge told APNZ.
"It was an inadvertent beacon activation, the helicopter that was tasked by Rescue Coordination Centre to go and check it out couldn't get hold of the person but when they did the fly-over it looked ok, there was a small runabout with one person on board,'' she said.
Another vessel was on its way to check him out and ask him to deactivate his beacon.
