Busy helicopter base reaches century milestone in just two months
The
UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Caernarfon has completed
100 taskings – in just two months.
It’s not been a huge surprise to the crews who say that
historically the area has been one of the busiest search and rescue ones in the
UK.
Picture: Maritime and Coastguard Agency |
The base is operated by Bristow Helicopters Ltd on behalf of the
Maritime & Coastguard Agency and was the third civilian search and rescue
base to go live.
Its first tasking, a mountain rescue, came just eight hours after
going live on 1st July.
The hundredth was to help with a
medical evacuation on 1st September, although in the event, the helicopter was stood down.
Chief Crewman Kevin Weller said, ‘The jobs we have been tasked to
have been challenging at times, especially in the mountains in poor weather and
at night.
'Historically C Flight at RAF Valley has been one of the busiest
search and rescue flights in the UK so we knew we would be busy from the word
go.’
‘Everyone at the base
feels very privileged to be part of this team and we are looking forward to the
challenges ahead.’