their EPIRBs go off
Often resulting in coastguard aircraft chasing yachts up the M25 or trundling round scrap yards.
Many aircraft have automatic ELTs based on a deccellaration switch, a nice heavy landing sets them off. However as airports and fire vehicles can not track on them you would need a chopper or fixed wing. And the accuracy is not that great.
However there are enhanced vision systems for fire trucks. obviously they are expensive and it comes down to cost versus lives saved.
In this case 200+ lives would nicely pay for one or two.
Its derived from tank night driving systems, consisting of FLIR and Low light cameras and a DGPS map position.
However on the night in question the amount of rain (44L/M2 in 30 mins) may have neutralised even this kit.
http://www.galaxyscientific.com/areas/navigati/air3.htm
http://www.massport.com/logan/about_publi_massp.html