AMSA EPIRB warning

A search and rescue incident in Western Australia on Wednesday, February 12 has prompted the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) to remind distress beacon owners to dispose of out-dated 121.5MHZ beacons and upgrade to a current GPS-enabled 406MHz beacons.

In the incident, AMSA, together with Western Australia Water Police were involved in the search and rescue of a man north west of Mandurah. The man’s vessel had capsized the previous night resulting in the man utilising a 121.5MHz distress beacon.

After no rescue occurred from the 121.5MHz EPIRB, the man recovered a second, more advanced 406MHz EPIRB from underneath his capsized vessel the following morning. This distress beacon was detected by AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Australia) in Canberra and the WA Water Police were advised. At the same time, local search and rescue assets were in the early stages of a search for the man after receiving a notification that he was overdue from a fishing trip.

Within one hour of the activation and detection of the man’s 406MHz EPIRB, he had been located about 12 nautical miles north west of Mandurah by the Surf Life Saving Western Australia rescue helicopter -- which had been directed to the search area after personnel on a police search plane identified orange flare smoke in that area -- and the Water Police had rescued him from the water.

If the distress beacon had been GPS enabled, the man’s location would have been established within an area of 120 metres within minutes of activation, rather than emergency authorities possibly having to wait for up to 90 minutes for the satellite system to confirm the position within five kilometres of his location.

RCC Australia was assisted by the fact that this 406MHz distress beacon was registered and RCC Australia’s search and rescue officers were able to work with WA Water Police in determining further information regarding the situation.

406MHz distress beacons can be registered for free online via AMSA’s website at www.beacons.amsa.gov.au or phone 1800 406 406.

Outdated 121.5MHz distress beacons can be disposed of at Battery World stores. Beacons should not be disposed of in household bins or at the tip as corrosion of the beacon can cause self-activation, resulting in expensive searches that may divert search and rescue resources from real emergencies.

If distress beacon owners cannot get to a Battery World store, the battery should be disconnected as per the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid an inadvertent activation.