Receivers to help save lives

New emergency locator beacon receivers at two sites near Moeraki aim to help North Otago search and rescue staff avoid delays and prevent further tragedies, following the drowning of three boaties in May.

The Community Trust of Otago has put $4000 towards safety equipment being bought by the North Otago Search and Rescue Trust.

The trust plans to buy the receivers for Cape Wanbrow and the Moeraki headlands, as well as directional finding equipment and other items totalling $11,000.

The equipment is expected to arrive within the next six weeks.

North Otago Trust fundraising committee member Mike Firman said the move was spurred on by events surrounding the sinking of the pleasure boat Time Out near Moeraki on May 11.

The receivers would detect emergency beacons activated in the area and alert the pagers or telephones of search and rescue staff, potentially saving lives, Mr Firman said.

"We won't be waiting for any second pass of the satellite or that sort of thing.

"When an emergency triggers the beacons, we will hear about the emergency at the same time as Wellington. This means there is no risk of delay in communication coming from further north.

"If there's a beacon going off, the directional finding equipment will point the helicopter straight at it."

Community Trust of Otago chief executive Keith Ellwood said his trust wanted to back the search and rescue funding application "to ensure there are no unnecessary delays in initiating lifesaving searches".

"My personal reaction to the Time Out sinking was just like anyone else's," he said.

"It was just a tragedy. We probably made a connection and thought if we can help overcome that our money is well spent."

Mr Firman said the listening devices were essential to ensure local rescuers would be alerted next time there was an incident.

"If we don't know there's a beacon going off, directional finding equipment would not be of any use," he said.

- NZPA