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As part of a wider £1.6bn investment in search and rescue aviation, HM Coastguard has opened two new search and rescue bases to support its response over the summer months.
The base in Oban, West Scotland opened before Easter and is joined by a second base in Carlisle. Both include a modern search and rescue hangar, operational planning room, offices, and rest areas for crews.
These bases provide an additional two search and rescue helicopters into the fleet during the busiest periods of the year and have been located based on data showing previous demand. The data work has been undertaken as part of the UK Second-Generation Search and Rescue Aviation programme (UKSAR2G) where it has identified areas of peak demand for search and rescue services.
Chief Coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan explained that the UKSAR2G programme brings a wealth of enhancements to HM Coastguard with these seasonal bases just one part of the wider activity taking place.
The addition of the AgustaWestland AW189 rescue helicopters will cut down transit times to areas of high demand and provide enhanced capacity into the fleet during peak times. Senior Responsible Owner for the roll-out programme, Mark Bradley said that the seasonal bases add to the enhancements that have already been made to ten permanent bases for HM Coastguard crews.
Photo information
Crew at Carlisle seasonal base over the Easter weekend. From left to right: Frank Napier (Engineer), Rich Taylor (Winch Operator), Michael Walker (Engineer), Daniel Perry (Engineer), Cathy Freeman-Brown (Winch-Paramedic), Simon White (Captain), Simon Price (Co-Pilot)
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