Lives saved
1
Hiking
Mountain
Medical emergency
Normal conditions
Bad Fall Leads to ResQLink 400 activation atop New Zealand's St. James Track
-42.35105°S, 172.528896°E
Posted on December 4, 2023 by Meagan
What happened?
Our group of five were excited to be going on our first hike of the season at the St James track.
Day one was easy, but the second day was a longer, nine hour day. Despite the little bit of rain and trudging through boggy ground which tired us out, we arrived at the hut just before 6pm.
After the long day, my friend decided to sleep in the hut rather than setting up her tent. At around 8pm she went to grab something from her top bunk. As she jumped down from the bunk ladder, she slipped and landed with a crash on the bunkroom floor.
We expected her to get up quickly and laugh at herself. But that didn’t happen.
She stayed lying on the floor and told us her arm was really sore, and we quickly realized it was probably broken. She was groaning in obvious pain, experiencing hot and cold flashes and felt very nauseous.
At 8.20pm we made the decision to activate my ACR ResQLink400 PLB knowing there was probably only an hour’s light left in the day. We packed my friend’s bag and waited. It was a long night as we took turns providing comfort to her, stoking the hut fire and trying to get some sleep.
Just before 7am we heard the unmistakable sound of a helicopter and then saw it emerge through the fog and land beside the hut.
As my friend was assessed by the SAR duo, I spoke to the helicopter pilot. He told me that my beacon was “a good one” and that it had been sending out a very strong signal. It was very reassuring to hear this.
My friend was taken by chopper to the nearby town and then by ambulance to the hospital two hours away. She later told us that not only had she fractured a bone in her shoulder, it was also dislocated.
She would not have been able to walk out from the hut. It would have been two days before we were able to reach either end of the track to find help. Having the PLB was invaluable.
Words of wisdom
Always take a PLB if you’re out hiking. Even if you’re an experienced hiker, accidents can happen anywhere and to the fittest people.
Thank you note
Thank you ACR. Your PLB performed its job exactly as it was supposed to and saved my friend from days of intense pain.
Rescue location
Saint James Walkway, Canterbury 7392, New Zealand
Rescue team
Local Search and Rescue
ResQLink™ 400
Go to product details$379.95 – $429.95
Small but resilient, the ResQLink 400 has been professionally engineered and tested to ensure it can withstand even the harshest elements. This buoyant Personal Locator Beacon requires no subscription for use and can be utilized to enhance your safety in a wide variety of environments. Whether on land, at sea, or in the air, trust that the ResQLink’s satellite precision and military durability, put rescue in the palm of your hands.
Features and Benefits:
- No Subscription Required
- GPS and Galileo GNSS
- Built-In Buoyancy
- Strobe and Infrared Strobe
- Global Coverage
- MEOSAR Compatible
- Small and lightweight
- 5-year battery life
- 24+ hours Operational Life**
- Multi-function Clip System Included