The air rescue exercise conducted by the Italian Air Force with the assistance of the National Alpine Rescue Corps took place in Sicily
The “Sater 03” falls within a cycle of exercises organised annually by the Italian Air Force to consolidate the response capability of the national Search and Rescue (SAR) structure, developing productive synergies and complete integration between the military component, Armed Forces and Armed Corps of the State, and the civil component, Prefectures and Civil Protection.
For the occasion, the Italian Air Force and the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (CNSAS) operated jointly during all phases of the exercise, with the assistance of the 4th Flight Department of the State Police of Palermo, the Forestry Corps of the Sicily Region, the Provincial Civil Protection of Palermo, the 118 Emergency Medical Service (SUES) of Palermo/Trapani and the Municipality of San Cipirello.
The training activity, planned by a team from the Air Operations Command (COA) of the Italian Air Force, simulated the crash of an AMX aircraft engaged in a training flight and the subsequent recovery and rescue operation of the missing crew in a mountainous environment in the Rocco Busambra area (Corleone).
Helicopters and personnel from the Italian Air Force, COA, 9th Wing, 15th Wing, 37th Wing, 82nd C-SAR and 2nd Technical Communication Department took part in the exercise, carrying out 8 sorties at the end of the activities, for a total of approximately 12 flight hours. Working alongside Air Force personnel were search teams from the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps, totalling about 50 people, and several teams from the Sicilian Forestry Corps.
The simulation began with the loss of radio contact with the aircraft and the triggering of the alert from the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) of the Poggio Renatico (FE) Air Operations Centre (COA), with the consequent activation of data collection, planning and search coordination procedures.
To facilitate the correct and prompt management of the search and rescue operation, specialised personnel from the forces involved redeployed to the Forward Base Post (FBP), set up with the logistical and operational support of the 37th Wing and the 2nd Communication Technical Department of the Italian Air Force.
Search operations began with aerial reconnaissance by Italian Air Force helicopters, an AB.212 from the 9th Wing of Grazzanise and an HH-3F from the 15th Wing - 82nd SAR Centre of Trapani, which led to the sighting of the wreckage of the missing aircraft and the narrowing down of the search area. Checking whether the crew had ejected, especially in a mountainous location, necessitated the support of personnel from the CNSAS, who are specialised in search operations in rugged terrain, in line with the cooperation protocol between the Defence General Staff and the National Centre itself. The exercise concluded with the finding of the crew and their subsequent recovery, which also took place using a stretcher capable of being operated via a winch fitted to the Italian Air Force helicopters.
The Italian Air Force SAR (Search And Rescue) service, provided by the helicopters of the 15th Wing based in Cervia and coordinated nationally by the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) of the COA in Poggio Renatico, guarantees the search and rescue of flight crews, whilst also contributing to public utility activities such as searching for missing persons at sea or in the mountains, emergency medical transport for critically ill patients, the rescue of severely traumatised individuals and assistance during natural disasters. Tgr Sicilia “Il Settimanale” of 24/11/2012 at 12:44
Buongiorno Regione Sicilia of 28/11/2012 at 07.44
