A RCCNZ rescue helicopter was tied up for four hours searching for an obsolete beacon that was found floating below decks in a yacht in Waikawa Bay near Picton, New Zealand.
Old or obsolete beacons need to be disposed of carefully: the battery needs to be disconnected and the beacon disposed of according to local regulations, as many beacons contain hazardous materials.
Read more here:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1410/S00798/obsolete-beacon-sparks-wasteful-search.htm