COASTGUARD HELICOPTER FLIES 10,000TH MISSION

On Thursday, September 16th, Coastguard Rescue Helicopter Mike Uniform from Stornoway, flew the 10,000th mission since civil Coastguard air activities began at Sumburgh in Shetland in 1983.

Mission 10,000 happened yesterday when Stornoway Coastguard sent the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter to find a hill walker on the Isle of Skye near Sligachan in response to a report of an injured man from other walkers coming down off the mountain.

Coastguard helicopters based at Stornoway in the Western Isles, Lee on Solent in Hampshire and Portland in Dorset have been added since 1983. The total operational flying hours are now in excess of 14,500 and approximately 6,500 people have been rescued over those 22 years.

All four helicopters and their crews contracted from Bristow helicopters have seen a huge variety of incidents both around the coastline, and on occasion further inland.

These include

· the rescue of 9 crewmen from the fishing vessel `Hansa' west of Benbecula in 2001,
· the rescue of 56 crew members of the Latvian Klondyker vessel `Lunokhods' off Shetland in November 1993 for which airman Fredie Manson won the Queens Award for Gallantry
· the rescue of 51 from the sail training vessel `Eendracht' off Newhaven in 1998
· Portland helicopter `Whisky Bravo' at the Boscastle flooding in 2004
· Monitoring of the fires using infra red cameras on board the bulk carrier `Ever Decent' which was involved in a serious collision in the Dover Strait in August 1999

Many other tasks have been undertaken over those years including cliff rescues working with the ground based Coastguard Rescue Teams, diving related incidents, hospital transfers of critically ill patients, mountain rescue tasks in the North West of Scotland working in close harmony with the mountain rescue teams, and countless other at sea tasks working with the RNLI.

Her Majesty's Coastguard also remember the sad loss of Air Crewman Billy Deacon whilst involved in the rescue of the 10 man crew of the Green Lily off Shetland on the 19th

November 1997 from rescue helicopter `Oscar Charlie'. Mr. Deacon was awarded the George Medal posthumously.

Peter Dymond, Head of Search and Rescue at the Maritime & Coastguard Agency said:
"It is timely to record our appreciation of the valor and expertise that the various aircrews have provided over those twenty years. Bristow helicopters have provided an outstanding service to Her Majesty's Coastguard throughout that time and their crews have been instrumental in saving hundreds of lives from inland; the coastline and the open sea."

Richard Burman, Managing Director of Bristow Helicopters Limited said:

"This important milestone marks twenty plus years of an excellent professional relationship between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Bristow Helicopters Limited during which a strong foundation has been established for the future of civil Search and Rescue."

The aircrew of all four aircraft has been the recipients of many awards from both within the UK and overseas including the George Medal to Air Crewman Chris Murray for his involvement in the "Hansa" incident and the Queens Award for Gallantry detailed above.

Notes to Editors

1. Photographs of the various helicopters can be obtained form the MCA press office on the number below.

2. Coastguard Helicopters operate from four bases around the British Isles. These are Sumburgh in the Shetland Isles, Stornoway in the Western Isles of Scotland, Lee-on-Solent in Hampshire, and Portland in Dorset. All of which are controlled by either HM Coastguard for maritime incidents or by the Air Rescue Coordination Centre at Kinloss in Scotland for Civil aviation and military incidents.

3. All helicopters used by HM Coastguard are presently SIKORSKY S61N operated by Bristow Helicopters Ltd. They all carry the distinctive colours of the Coastguard : red front and tail with a mainly white hull, blue lines follow the red areas fore and aft and the words "H.M.COASTGUARD" are situated either side of the fuselage. Registration letters are found on the aft part of the fuselage in black, and fluorescent orange chevrons can be seen on the underside of the hull. "COASTGUARD RESCUE" appears in white lettering under the nose of the aircraft.

4. The aircraft from Sumburgh, Stornoway, and Lee-on-Solent are available at 15 minutes notice by day and 45 minutes at night. Portland Coastguard Helicopter operates for 12 hours daily from 0900 to 2100 hours local time. Each Coastguard Helicopters hold a minimum crew of four personnel, 2 pilots, 1 winchman and a winch operator who is qualified to "Advanced First Aid/ Escort Standard" All personnel are highly trained and training is constantly being revised and updated.

1. All Coastguard Helicopter have a fuel capacity of 4200 lbs, enabling them to spend a maximum of 3.50hrs in the air. Stornoway Coastguard Helicopter is capable of carrying extra fuel (up to 5450 lbs), offering 5.10hrs endurance. They are able to travel at a maximum speed of 131 Knots and can carry a capacity weight of 20,500lbs. The aircraft are all weather IMC capability making it possible to carry out night search and rescue (SAR) operations, only being inhibited in moderate to server icing conditions.

2. The aircraft carries various equipment for every aspect of an SAR operation. This includes communication equipment, and search equipment including radar, FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red, which is unique to Coastguard Helicopter in the UK), homing devices, night vision goggles, navigation systems, as well as rescue hoist capable of lifting 600lbs. A comprehensive First Aid kit is also carried by the crew who are regularly trained in its use both at their bases and with hospital Casualty and Paramedic Training Centres.

STORNOWAY

3. The Stornoway based Coastguard Helicopter 'MIKE UNIFORM' became operational on 12th May 1987. Although the Stornoway Coastguard Helicopter's normal operating area is the West of Scotland and Northern Ireland it has also been deployed for incidents in the Orkneys, the Shetlands Isles, and the Clyde. From early 1988 the helicopter provided the main air ambulance service for the Western Isles. A large number of these patients have been expectant mums the highlight being the 2nd April 1989 when Kirsty Macleod was born over Loch Erisort.

4. The extreme conditions in the North have tested the Stornoway crew in every aspect. The courage and determination shown by the crew when attending SAR has been recognised by many organisations and among the many awards received by members of the crew are, the Prince Philip Helicopter Rescue Award by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, The 'Edward and Maisie Lewis Award' of the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariner's Benevolent Society, presented by the H.M. the Queen, and a number of Chief Coastguard's Commendation.

SUMBURGH

5. The Sumburgh based Coastguard Helicopter 'OSCAR CHARLIE' became operational on 4th April 1985 after arriving at the station the previous day. The Sumburgh Coastguard Helicopter's normal operating area stretches in an arc for 150 miles from the Sumburgh Coastguard station. However if the helicopter refuels at one of a various number of places , the most commonly used one being the BP Magnus Oil platform, north of Sumburgh, it can travel further. The helicopter is also well equipped for night sorties with it's FLIR capability.

PORTLAND

6. The Portland based Coastguard Helicopter 'Whiskey Bravo' became operational on 1 October 1995. The Portland Coastguard Helicopter's normal operating area is from Hengistbury Head in Hampshire to Start Point in Devon, a coastline of 100 miles in length. This extends to mid-point of the English Channel incorporating an area of 4000 square miles. The helicopter is operational on a daily basis for 12 hours from 0900 hours to 2100 hours. For incidents which take place at night or in bad weather conditions search capability is enhanced by the use of the FLIR Dual Sensor Surveillance System. This piece of equipment uses infra red which makes it possible to locate casualties in cases of poor visibility.

LEE ON SOLENT

7. The Lee-on-Solent based Coastguard Helicopter 'INDIA JULIET' became operational on 15th May 1988. The Lee-on-Solent Coastguard Helicopter's normal operating area stretches from Beachy Head in East Sussex to St Albans's head in Dorset, including Poole Harbour during the day. At night, this area is extended to include Start Point in Devon, a coastline of some 170 miles in length. This area extend to the mid-point of the English Channel. Occasionally the helicopter has been tasked to incidents outside this area due to its FLIR capability. Since it was established in 1988 Lee-on-Solent has proved to be the busiest Maritime Search and Rescue helicopter unit in the United Kingdom.

For further information please contact
Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on:
(023) 8032 9401

Press releases and further information about the Agency is available on the Web at www.mcga.gov.uk