On Monday 13 September a crew from the 82nd center Combat SAR of the Trapani Air Force was used to transport a Punic rostrum to the island of Marettimo.
The delicate boarding operations of the crate containing the rostrum took place at the 82nd center square, with the use of the special harness net and the wiring necessary to protect the load and connect it to the helicopter's barycentric hook. 'HH139B supplied to the operations department.
Once the preparation of the rostrum was completed, the crew took off at 11:30 in the direction of the Castle of Punta Troia on the island of Marettimo, the place of expected release of the find.
After 30 minutes of flight, the helicopter reached the vertical of the Castle and, remaining in hovering, successfully lowered the crate onto the terrace, assisted on the ground by the on-board and technical personnel of the 82nd center already deployed in the morning on the 'Island.
Doctor Valeria Li Vigni, Superintendent of the Sea of the Sicilian Region was present to welcome the find; Dr. Francesco Forgione, mayor of the Egadi islands; Dr. Vito Vaccaro, councilor for transport of the municipality of Favignana and the Egadi islands; Dr. Salvatore Livreri Consul, director of the Egadi Islands Marine Protected Area.
The rostrum, recovered in the Mediterranean Sea, until today in custody at the Superintendency of the Sea, represents an important bronze artefact of high historical and archaeological value from the battle of the Egadi islands, which put an end to the Punic war between the Romans and the Carthaginians.
