EPIRB Saves Bushwalker Bibbulmun Track

[Overlandman]

From ABC News

Police say a personal tracking device might have saved the life of a bushwalker who ran out of water during 40-degree-heat yesterday.

The 47-year-old man was walking the Bibbulmun Track about 11 kilometres west of the Albany Highway in North Bannister, when he began to feel ill late yesterday afternoon.

The man activated an EPIRB device, which sent out a distress signal with his exact location.

The Australian Search and Rescue Organisation then contacted WA police and gave them the man's exact location.

Inspector Ian Clarke says it allowed the police helicopter to quickly locate the man and fly him back to Perth.

"A very good message out to anybody that does bushwalking or prospecting or anything like that, just to reinforce to them that it is really money well spent if you go out and get some form of personal tracking device, it will allow emergency services to be able to locate you very, very quickly," he said.