During the night, an HH139B helicopter, which took off from the 85th Search and Rescue Centre in Pratica di Mare, was deployed for the search and rescue of an injured person.

Around 11 PM last night, an HH139B helicopter belonging to the 85th SAR Centre of the 15th Wing took off from Pratica di Mare military airport for a Search and Rescue mission on Mount Terminillo.

The Italian Air Force crew, at the request of CNSAS Lazio (National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps), reached the young man – who had in the meantime been located by the ground teams of CNSAS – carrying out the rescue of the hiker at an altitude of approximately 2000 metres, using the hoist fitted to the Italian Air Force helicopter. The boy was then transported to the San Camillo de Lellis Hospital in Rieti and handed over to the care of the medical staff.

The helicopter then returned to the Pratica di Mare base to resume its operational readiness service around 3am yesterday.

The 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force guarantees, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without interruption, the search and rescue of flight crews in distress, contributing also to public utility activities such as the search for missing persons at sea or in mountains, the emergency medical transport of patients in imminent danger of death and the rescue of severely traumatised individuals, operating even in extreme weather conditions. Since its establishment to date, the crews of the 15th Wing have saved approximately 7,800 people in danger of death. Since 2018, the Department has acquired the AIB (Aerial Forest Fire Fighting) capability, contributing to the prevention and fighting of fires throughout the national territory as part of the joint inter-force apparatus deployed by the Defence.