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RAF says goodbye to UK-based SAR ops

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The Air Sea Rescue service, whose most famous pilot was Prince William, has saved tens of thousands of lives since it was formed in 1941 by an emergency committee headed by Arthur Harris, later “Bomber” Harris of Bomber Command. But that has changed as the Royal Air Force has ceased providing Search and Rescue (SAR) services for the United Kingdom mainland last week.

Since records began in 1983 the crews have completed 34,025 callouts and rescued 26,853 persons in distress.

The crew of a Royal Navy vessel have rushed to the aid of an injured fisherman trapped by bad weather on the Irish Sea. Royal Navy Hydrographic survey vessel, HMS Echo, was carrying out maritime security operations when she received a request for assistance from Milford Haven Coastguard. The coastguard had already scrambled both an RAF search and rescue helicopter and an RNLI lifeboat to rescue the fisherman, but weather conditions were deteriorating fast. The 5 metre high swell meant it was not possible to lower a winchman safely onto the French vessel’s deck and assist the fisherman who was showing signs of hypothermia. A Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter from 22 Squadron during the rescue of an injured fisherman from the French trawler Alf (left) in the Irish Sea 2013

A Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter from 22 Squadron during the rescue of an injured fisherman from the French trawler Alf (left) in the Irish Sea 2013

The Royal Navy scheduled to follow suit next year and by 2016 all SAR assets will be consolidated under the Maritime and Coastguard Agency who will use Bristow Helicopters Ltd, a private contractor, to provide services through a mixed fleet of 22 Sikorsky S.92s (a stretched version of the Blackhawk) and AgustaWestland AW189 helicopters based at 10 locations around the Isles.

Bristow's S.92s. Image by Sikorsky

Bristow’s S.92s. Image by Sikorsky

Bristow began operations with their new HM Coastguard-marked S.92s this April and is expected to be fully operational with all assets by 2017 while the RN and RAF will retain a small expeditionary C-SAR capability for operations overseas.

Rule Britannia.