SYDNEY school student Nicholas Delaney died only hours before a two-day police search located him and his five companions in rugged bushland, but if the group had been carrying a personal locator beacon they could have been found much sooner.I only heard about this tragic accident today. When I heard the story I got goosebumps.
Perhaps they could have been found sooner had they carried the EPIRB, but they didn't, and it was in the Blue Mountains - and their location should have been reasonably easy to pinpoint as they had let people know where they were.
However, EPIRB disregarded, I'm sure that they would have been found sooner if the volunteer members of the state rescue associations had been asked to assist in the search. These volunteers are available at any time for activities like these. They happily assist in searches of every kind. As a resource they should have been used. The group was missing for more than two days before the volunteer searchers were called out.
I'm sure the NSW Coroner will get to the bottom of this... I'll be interested to read the report.
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