The Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter was dispatched on Monday afternoon but unable to find a likely source of the personal locator beacon alert. Photo / File
The Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter was dispatched on Monday afternoon but unable to find a likely source of the personal locator beacon alert. Photo / File
Emergency services have yet to find the source of a personal locator beacon (PLB) which was activated near the Hawke's Bay showgrounds in Hastings on Monday afternoon.
The Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter was dispatched around 4pm on Monday but could not pin down where the signal was coming from, generalmanager Ian Wilmot said
"We didn't see any sort of likely locations for it.
"We went and had a look and there were no signs of any danger or anything like that."
He said they believed the signal might be coming from an older model PLB, possibly on board a parked up boat, as it had sent an alert to the local team, but not to the Rescue Coordination Centre.
Believed to be an unregistered older model, which are less accurate, the beacon was still transmitting an alert on Tuesday morning.
"It sounds as if it's an old beacon."
Emergency services have yet to find the source of a personal locator beacon alert, believed to have accidentally been set off by an older model [not pictured]. Photo / File
Accidental activations are not unheard of with call outs about once a year, but it was unusual not to find the source, Wilmot said.
Police have asked residents near Karamu Rd to check that any beacons in their possession have not activated by mistake.
Detective Mike Signal said it would likely stop transmitting after a few hours when the battery died.
It highlighted the importance of registering them, so that emergency services could contact people to see if it was a mistake, he said.
Signal also encouraged people to dispose of old PLBs by dropping them off at the local police station.
"If they're taken to the dump they can be activated when they're crushed. It could be after a few days even."
With summer just around the corner and travel restrictions still in place, he expected it would be a busier season and encouraged all those heading outdoors to have a PLB.
"They are literal lifesavers.
"Nowadays, they can narrow down your position to where you are by just a few metres.
"Help can be with you within an hour then."
He said PLBs could also be hired for short trips by looking online.
![Emergency services have yet to find the source of a personal locator beacon alert, believed to have accidentally been set off by an older model [not pictured]. Photo / File](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/OQ46JX5EIGLIKNNTATE6U5JGQ4.jpg?auth=cfe10ff7f5c38c02f57cecf98d5e42e1302b25a29d692be90d600ffada1220a1&width=16&height=13&quality=70&smart=true)