Crowds gathered at a cliff in New South Wales, Australia, to watch pilot Richard Nest and his crew home in and land in response to what turned out to be a prankster’s distress beacon signal. The beacon, likely stolen from a vessel, was activated and thrown from the Forster breakwall.
Rescuers had to retrieve and shut off the beacon to prevent disruptive messages from continuing to alert satellites and distract commercial aircraft.
The “malicious prank” falsely mobilized the three-man Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew and local Marine Rescue personnel, costing taxpayers up to $8000.
Read more here:
http://www.greatlakesadvocate.com.au/story/2058632/costly-chopper-prank/?cs=445