Battery left in trashed beacon sparks rescue

Mark Bond, Barry Shepherd from the Taupo police and crewmen on the rescue helicopter and Nat Every Pilot/Base Manager of the Taupo Rescue Helicopter. Photo / Supplied

The pilot of the Taupo Youthtown Rescue helicopter is urging people to take the batteries out of emergency beacons before throwing them away, following a callout that ended at the Taupo rubbish dump.

Nat Every, the helicopter's pilot and base manager was alerted by the rescue coordination centre this morning of a emergency locating beacon activated that was heard as far away the Kapiti Coast by an aircraft at 16,000ft.

"After a brief airborne search followed by a ground search a ELT beacon was found at the Taupo landfill under about a foot of rubbish," Mr Avery said.

"This serves as a timely reminder to please take care when disposing of old beacons. Had the battery been removed the false activation could have been avoided."

- NZHERALD STAFF