The mission was requested by the Prefecture of Trapani for the emergency transport of the young person to the Civil Hospital in Palermo

During the night, an HH-139B helicopter of the 82nd SAR (Search and Rescue) Centre of the Italian Air Force, based at Trapani military airport, intervened to rescue a young man on the island of Pantelleria who required urgent surgery. The young man, assisted by a medical team on board the helicopter, was subsequently transported to the Civic Hospital of Palermo.
The emergency medical transport mission, requested by the Prefecture of Trapani, was coordinated by the Aerospace Operations Command of Poggio Renatico (Ferrara), which ordered the take-off of the Trapani helicopter, one of the rotary-wing assets on standby for national Search and Rescue activities and suited to the type of emergency.
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 difficulty, also contributing to public utility activities such as the search for missing persons at sea or in mountains, emergency medical transport of patients in imminent danger of death, and the rescue of severely traumatised individuals, operating even in extreme weather conditions.
From its establishment to the present day, the crews of the 15th Wing have saved more than 7,500 people from life-threatening situations. Since 2018, the Unit has acquired Wildfire Fighting (AIB) capability, contributing to the prevention and combat of fires throughout the national territory as part of the joint interforce system deployed by the Defence.