Photography/Multimedia
Two Calls in One Day
Busiest 24 hours for HMS Gannet's search and rescue team
May 27, 2010 [source: Royal Navy via shepherd dot co dot uk]
May 27, 2010 [source: Royal Navy via shepherd dot co dot uk]
In the mist and drizzle of a shrouded West Coast of Scotland the Royal Navy's helicopter search and rescue duty crew of HMS Gannet have had their busiest 24-hour period of the year so far with no less than five call-outs. ....
What was then to become a very busy evening kicked off in earnest at 1600hrs with a call to effect a medical evacuation from Rathlin Island off the coast of Northern Ireland. Having embarked on the sortie, the crew was then recalled when the casualty was transferred by other means. ...
Barely an hour later though the alarm sounded once more and the helicopter was airborne at 2205hrs bound for Rathlin Island again, once more for a medical transfer to Coleraine Hospital on the mainland. The crew touched back down at Prestwick at 0030hrs the following morning.
After managing to catch some sleep, with just quarter-of-an-hour of their 24-hour duty remaining, an emergency call came in at 0845hrs and the Sea King was airborne at 0850hrs and heading for Campbeltown to transfer a casualty to Glasgow.
Added May 31
A man who suffered a heart attack on Rathlin Island on Sunday afternoon was airlifted from Rathlin by members of the Royal Navy SAR Sea King Helicopter based at HMS Gannet in Prestwick to Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. Picture Steven McAuley/Kevin McAuley Photography Multimedia
