A 406 EPIRB began transmitting an emergency signal from a garbage dump in Eurobodalla, Australia, that would have continued for 48 hours.
A rescue helicopter was called to the area, tying up valuable resources.
Workers at the dump had to dig through tons of trash to find the beacon carelessly discarded.
“Unwanted distress beacons should never be put into household bins.”
“Not only can they activate and waste valuable emergency resources, but the beacon batteries are also hazardous and should be disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way.”
New South Wales Maritime holds regular collection events in Eurobodalla for expired flares, where unwanted emergency beacons can also be safety disposed of free of charge.
The next collection is likely to be held in November.
If residents can’t attend a collection event, batteries should be disconnected in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and disposed of at Council’s waste facilities for free.
Read more here:
https://www.miragenews.com/discarded-beacon-signals-rubbish-emergency-561924/