Two new Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter bases have been opened by HM Coastguard in order to support the emergency service’s search and rescue response over the upcoming summer months.
The two AgustaWestland AW189 rescue helicopters will operate from the new bases at Oban, West Scotland, and Carlisle, Northwest England. From the hours of 09:00 – 21:00, from April to September, the helicopters will have the ability to be airborne within 15 minutes of being tasked.
The Oban Airport base successfully opened on Sunday 15 March, followed by its sister seasonal base at the Carlisle Lake District Airport over the Easter weekend. Both bases are equipped with a modern Search and Rescue Hangar, operational planning room, offices, and rest areas for crews.
This new Search and Rescue provision is part of the UK’s £1.6billion Second Generation Search and Rescue Aviation Programme (UKSAR2G). This modernisation programme used data from previous years to identify areas of peak demand for Search and Rescue - often caused by outdoor leisure activity accidents.
These new bases, and additional two search and rescue helicopters, have entered the fleet during the busiest period of the year and have been placed in the areas of greatest need. This will support the Search and Rescue response by reducing the transit times to areas of high demand, providing additional capacity into the fleet.