The Gear That Saved Them: How a PLB and Life Jackets Made the Difference

What happened?

A fisherman who was plucked from the turbulent waters near the Raglan bar on Saturday says he owes his life to one simple piece of gear: his life jacket. Without it, he believes he and his teenage son would never have made it home.

Stephen Wright and his son Mason had set out that morning for what they thought would be a routine fishing trip in the Raglan Harbour. The pair were aboard their JetSki, anchored in about 13 metres of water, enjoying the calm before the tide shifted. But within moments, what began as a peaceful outing turned into a desperate fight for survival.

“The anchor rope was too short,” Wright later explained. “It wanted more. And instead of releasing, it pulled the JetSki in. The next thing we knew, it tipped sideways, and we were in the water.”

The sudden capsize separated father and son from their JetSki almost immediately. Within minutes, they found themselves adrift, about 200 metres from either shore. What might have been a short swim in calmer waters quickly became a terrifying ordeal as the Raglan bar revealed its dangerous reputation.

“I thought, ‘Let’s swim for it,’” Wright recalled. “We had our life jackets on, so I figured we’d be alright. But no matter how hard we tried, we weren’t making ground. The current was dragging us out further and further.”

Soon, the pair were caught among the bar’s notorious waves, powerful and relentless walls of water crashing down with force. “They were coming down on us real hard,” Wright said. “You don’t realise how small you are until you’re in it. Every wave just takes it out of you.”

With exhaustion setting in and no sign of escape, Wright knew they had to act quickly. He reached for his personal locator beacon (PLB), a small device carried for emergencies exactly like this. Setting it off, he also managed to place a call to 111, reaching the police to alert them of the unfolding emergency.

The next half hour felt like an eternity. The cold water began to seep into their bones, numbing their limbs and making it harder to stay focused. Both father and son were showing the first signs of hypothermia, shivering uncontrollably as they bobbed helplessly in the swell.

At last, the sound of salvation cut through the roar of the waves. A rescue team arrived and pulled the pair to safety, bringing an end to what could have been a tragic day on the water. Though both were treated for hypothermia, they escaped without injury—something Wright credits entirely to their life jackets and the fast response of rescuers.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Wright’s voice carried a mix of relief and disbelief. “We would’ve drowned without those jackets. There’s no doubt about it. You just don’t expect things to go wrong until they do—and then it’s too late. That beacon, that phone call, and those jackets saved us.”

Words of wisdom

I believe if I did not put my life jacket on and didn’t take my PLB for whatever reason that day, I would have drowned, 100%

Thank you note to the Ocean Signal team

On Saturday, 20th September 2025, I was involved in a serious incident . During the rescue operation, I activated my PLB1, which played a crucial role in ensuring we were found and brought to safety. Unfortunately, the device was lost in the process and will need to be replaced.

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for this outstanding product. It quite literally helped save our lives, and I will never venture out on the water without one again.

Thank you for creating such a reliable and essential piece of safety equipment