The operation, carried out on the Ponza – Latina route in complex weather conditions, was performed with an HH-139B from the 85th SAR Centre of Pratica di Mare.

The air rescue, carried out with a HH-139B helicopter of the’85° SAR Centre (Search and Rescue) in Pratica di Mare (RM). The intervention, made difficult by the heavy rain, was carried out on the stretch Ponza – Latina, and it has allowed the Urgent medical transport of a 70-year-old man in serious condition.

The activation request has arrived from Latina Prefecture Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) Air and Space Operations Command (COA) in Poggio Renatico (FE) which has, among its duties, that of managing these types of missions for the good of the community.

The military helicopter crew on standby took off from Pratica di Mare airport and headed first to Latina, where a specialised medical team was brought on board’Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, necessary to assist the patient during the flight. Subsequently, the helicopter reached the island of Ponza where the patient was boarded onto the aircraft and transported with extreme urgency to the helipad of the destination hospital.

Once landed, the patient was transferred by ambulance to the hospital for necessary medical treatment, while the helicopter returned to Pratica di Mare to resume its standby readiness.

The’85° SAR Centre It depends 15th Air Wing of Cervia which guarantees, 24 hours a day, every single day of the year, the search and rescue of flight crews in distress, also contributing to public utility activities such as the search for missing persons at sea or in the mountains, the urgent medical transport of patients in imminent danger of death and the rescue of severely injured persons, operating even in complex meteorological conditions.

From its establishment to the present day, the crews of the 15th Wing have saved thousands of lives.

Dal 15th Air Wing of Cervia, In addition to the 85th SAR Centre at Pratica di Mare, the following are also dependent on it, located throughout the national territory: the 80th SAR Centre at Decimomannu (Cagliari), the 82nd SAR Centre at Trapani, the 83rd SAR Group, located in Cervia itself, and the 84th SAR Centre at Gioia del Colle (Bari).