Reports of floating wreckage, eskies, fishng rods and baggage washed ashore at dusk near Gladstone (Australia). Authorities suspected a capsised fishing boat.
A bag label gave details which, when checked, revealed that the owner was travelling in an Aircraft.
SAR was mobilsed and round midnight located a half sunk A/C and then found two people lying on the beach nearby, who have been taken to hospital in a serious condition.
Report on ABC news as follows
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Washed-up luggage leads emergency services to injured men in crashed helicopter
Two men seriously injured when their helicopter crashed in waters off the central Queensland coast have been saved after their luggage began washing up on a nearby beach, sparking a search and rescue operation.
Police said they started searching for what they initially thought was a capsized boat after eskies, luggage and fishing rods started washing up on beaches near Gladstone on Saturday afternoon.
Just after midnight, the RACQ rescue 300 helicopter found a helicopter partially submerged off Curtis Island, and discovered two injured men, aged 61 and 56, lying on the beach.
Senior Sergeant Robyn Taylor-Ward said the label on one of the men's bags may have saved their lives.
"A search of the luggage located a name and address and police were then able to speak to their family and it was at that point in time we realised that a helicopter was potentially missing," she said.
Senior Sergeant Taylor-Ward said the men were in serious conditions.
"They obviously rendered first aid and the men were then transported to Rockhampton Base Hospital," she said.