UK Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre celebrates its First Anniversary



The UK Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC), fondly known as UK Rescue, has been part of HM Coastguard for a year. Building on the work done by the Royal Air Force, the responsibility for coordinating civilian aeronautical search and rescue (SAR) was passed to HM Coastguard on 31 March 2016.

The ARCC’s role is to respond to requests for helicopter support from the Police, Ambulance Service, Fire Service, and of course HM Coastguard, and make sure the most appropriate helicopter from one of the current eleven Coastguard SAR helicopter bases around the UK, is sent to the incident. This could be a fallen walker in the mountains of Wales or Scotland, picking up crew off a sinking vessel, or a medical transfer of a seriously ill person.

John Foster, HM Coastguard ARCC Commander, said: “The last twelve months have flown by with the Coastguard-led ARCC service handling more than 4,000 incidents. These can range from routine ‘snatch and grab’ jobs, support to inland rescue teams and emergency services and complex incidents hundreds of miles offshore.

“Throughout the year, the Coastguard aviators have honed their new found skills to firmly establish the service here at the National Maritime Operations Centre. It is reassuring to know that such a professional and dedicated team are on hand 24/7 to deliver the ARCC function for the United Kingdom.”

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