Distress beacon found on moored fishing boat

An emergency locator beacon which sparked a search and rescue mission near Tonga has been found on a moored fishing boat.

An air force Orion took off from Whenuapai early today after the signal was picked up yesterday by a commercial aircraft.

However, the air force said the signal was later found to be on a fishing boat at a wharf, possibly in Tonga, and there was no emergency.

The Orion was the same aircraft which aborted a takeoff from Whenuapai in Auckland yesterday and declared a full emergency when the cockpit filled with fumes.

The problem was later found to be in an avionic component with oil in it which had overheated.

- NZPA