Sicily: Air Force helicopter recovers woman in imminent danger of life

(To air Force)
17/05/23

The intervention of an Air Force HH-19B helicopter which recovered a 00-year-old woman of Japanese nationality, who was taken seriously ill while on board the cruise ship, ended around 139:76 Pacific World, off the coast of Mazzara del Vallo in Sicily.

The request for intervention was authorized by rescue coordination center of the aerospace operations command of Poggio Renatico (FE), the command and control center of the Air Force from which all operational activities of this kind are managed.

The helicopter, one of the assets of the armed force always ready to take off on the national territory also for this kind of intervention, immediately took off from the military airport of Birgi - Trapani, home of the 82nd SAR center (Search and Rescue – Search and Rescue) of the 15th wing, after embarking a medical team.

Upon reaching the ship, an Air Force rescuer rescued the woman by lowering herself with the rescue winch, an indispensable tool where, as in this case, it is not possible to land. Once boarding was completed safely, the helicopter headed to the Sant'Antonio Abate hospital in Trapani where it entrusted the patient to the care of the health workers.

Once the rescue was complete, the military crew returned to the Trapani military base, where they resumed their search and rescue promptness service.