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This incident is a strong reminder of the importance of carrying a suitable distress beacon while offshore — it may save your life.
The pair activated a personal locator beacon near the Tasman Glacier at 8:55 am and was picked up by helicopter at 10.07 am.
The man and woman were retrieved from Calder Island, 55 nautical miles north-east of Mackay, after they activated their EPIRB.
PLBS are vital pieces of equipment for anyone at sea, as they help SAR teams track down casualties and respond quickly in emergencies.
LifeFlight crew arrived at the GPS location of the beacon and discovered three people stranded on the beach.
The partner activated a personal locator beacon (PLB) and a multi-agency rescue team arrived at the area.
The yacht had activated its EPIRB and life raft, and everyone was off the boat and had been accounted for.
His PLB, which had been flashing red and white, started to flash green, meaning satellites had received the signal and were processing it.
The crew recovered the survivors and safely returned them, coordinating with local authorities.
