The search for a missing walker in the Mt Roland area was briefly interrupted by the accidental activation of a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) at Black Bluff yesterday.

Inspector Adam Spencer said the false alarm, an “unfortunate mistake”, forced police to divert resources from the Mt Roland search to the second track, about 20km away.

“Although it was positive that the second walker was not in real danger, a PLB activation indicates an emergency,” he said.

“I responded as if it were an emergency.”

“This removed vital resources from another quest.”

Inspector Spencer said the incident serves as a reminder to outdoor enthusiasts to ensure they store and handle PLBs correctly.

“Fortunately, we had the result we got in both situations, but it’s a good reminder to make sure you’re storing and handling PLB properly,” he said.

PLBs generally have a protective cover over the activation button that must be lifted before the button can be pressed.