First rescue for new Coastguard helicopter

First rescue for new Coastguard helicopter

LONDON. April 4, 2008/3mnewswire.org/ -- Portland Coastguard's brand new Augusta Westland 139 helicopter was welcomed in today and has already completed its first rescue.

The new state of the art helicopter, call sign Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 106, begins its duties today as part of a service contract to the MCA by CHC Helicopters who won the interim contract to supply the service to the MCA from 2007 to 2012.

Portland Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a call from Cutlass dive boat at ten past three this afternoon reporting a diver who was in need of assistance after suffering a rapid ascent. Portland Coastguard arranged a connect call between the dive boat and a specialist dive doctor who discussed the casualty's medical history and dive profile and made a recommendation that he be airlifted to Poole's recompression chamber immediately.

Portland Coastguard scrambled the helicopter to its first job- to airlift the diver to the landing site in Poole where the casualty was met by Poole Coastguard Rescue Team, Dorset Ambulance and a dive doctor. The man will then be taken by ambulance to the recompression chamber.

Portland Coastguard Watch Manager Allan Norman said:
"We are delighted to welcome in the new AW139 Coastguard Rescue Helicopter and to report the completion of its first successful rescue.

The new helicopter is a fantastic development in our ability to deliver a search and rescue service along the UK coastline.

Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 106 has the ability to fly further and faster than its predecessor and we anticipate many more successful rescues which will prove its operational effectiveness and utilise the range of advanced technology it has on board."

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