The beacon had been picked up by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Wellington, which advised police and the rescue helicopter service.
An 83-year-old Japanese man who had been fly fishing on the Mohaka River was airlifted out early yesterday morning after falling down a bank.
While the man, who was fishing alone on the stretch near the foot of the Kaweka Range, had set off an emergency personal locator beacon just
after midnight, the Lowe Corporation rescue helicopter crew were unable to get in and land due to thick low cloud and fog across the area.
The beacon had been picked up by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Wellington, which advised police and the rescue helicopter service.
While unable to land and get to the man, the crew had spotted the light of a torch being shone up at them.
They returned about five hours later, at about 6am, and conditions had cleared enough for them to get to the man, who had become trapped down the bank.
