About 8 pm (WST) on Sunday, RCC Australia detected an unregistered Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) with no associated location.
As the beacon was unregistered and no location was available the RCC was unable to take action for nearly an hour until a subsequent signal placed the beacon about 18 nautical miles north of Derby.
It took a further two hours for police to confirm that an unattended car and trailer at a local boat ramp were associated with the EPIRB. It was then discovered that four men were overdue after going fishing in a small boat earlier in the day.
By the time the location and nature of distress was established severe weather, due to a tropical low and darkness, made it impossible to get any aircraft or vessels into the area. About 6.30am (WST) this morning a local helicopter was able to take advantage of a brief break in the weather to successfully locate and recover all four men.
This incident highlights the importance of having a properly registered 406MHz distress beacon.
A properly registered beacon would have allowed RCC Australia to contact the owner or their next of kin and develop a search area even without a location from the beacon.
In this case it is likely that it would have meant the difference between being rescued yesterday, or having to spend fourteen hours sheltering up mangrove trees in a crocodile habitat, as these men did.
A properly registered beacon means Search and Rescue officers will not only know where you are but who you are, what your vessel looks like and who to contact in an emergency.
Registering your beacon is free and gives you the best chance of being rescued if you get into trouble.
For more information or to register your beacon for free visit our website or call 1800 406 406.
AMSA would like to thank the pilot of the helicopter for his successful effort recovering all four men in very difficult conditions.
A video on the importance of having a properly registered beacon and images can be downloaded.
Media enquiries: 1300 624 633