WELLINGTON – The New Zealand aid programme is in the process of equipping Pacific fishermen with electronic locator beacons.
The programme’s Pacific transport development officer, David Weinstein, said a trial is currently wrapping up in Niue and Kiribati.
When activated, a beacon sends a coded distress signal via satellite to the nearest rescue coordination centre which can then accurately locate it.
Weinstein said this could drastically reduce the need to deploy search and rescue aircraft. Pacnews
