Survivor stories

Hiking

Hiker Rescued by Helicopter After Injury thanks to the ResQLink™ 400 Personal Locator Beacon

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Lisa

He couldn’t describe the situation before the call dropped. He ran up and down nearby hills but no signal.  After 20 minutes he returned, afraid of leaving me for too long due to the risk of shock and hyperthermia.  It was PLB time...

Boating

How a Sudden Storm in Christmas Bay Nearly Sank Our Boat — and the PLB That Saved Us

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Wesley Clepper

After being sunk for an hour and a half, the wind and rain began to ease up. I was able to pump the water out of my boat, but it was still completely grounded.

Off-road

Emergency in the Wild: A Cougar Standoff and Rescue

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Dale Visser

We immediately grabbed our bear spray and knives and took up a defensive position and attempted to get a visual on the animal.

From Wreckage to Rescue: The Lifeline of a ResQLink

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Tony

Looking back, it’s obvious how crucial that PLB was. Without it, I likely would’ve been facing a long wait, a complicated stretcher carry out through rugged bush, and a much more delayed arrival at emergency care.

Hiking

Navigating a Backcountry Injury: LCL Tear and Emergency Response in NZ Wilderness

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Emma

"As I tried to navigate my way carefully down this challenging part of the track, I lost my footing on the wet rock. In an instant, I slipped and fell roughly two meters down..."

Water-sports

Lost at Sea, Found by Signal: The Crucial Role of Our ResQLink in a High-Speed Offshore Race Rescue

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Daniel

"All four members of the crew were able to climb onto the hull of the capsized boat. As we waited, one of the crew members pointed at my PFD and asked “is that a PLB?”. I didn’t even remember that I had it on me until he saw it!"

Boating

Emergency at Sea: The PLB That Saved My Life

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Don

After days of exhausting hand steering, he fell asleep with the autopilot back online—only to wake up in the middle of the night....

Hunting

A Fall, a Beacon, and a Lifeline: An ANZAC Day to Remember

Posted on May 2, 2025 by Jasmine

Once I caught my breath, I did a self-assessment. I looked to my left; straight away, I could see my wrist was broken...

Hiking

How a ResQLink lead to a Helicopter rescue in Kahurangi

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Peter Husband

Even after resting for half an hour, it was clear that I still couldn’t put any meaningful weight on my right leg...