The intervention in the Venetian Lagoon near Chioggia: A HH-139A helicopter of the 15th Air Force of the Italian Air Force intervened in the night to rescue two fishermen in difficulty on their boat in the Venetian Lagoon, near Chioggia. The alert crew, after being activated by the Rescue Coordination Centre of the Italian Air Operation Centre in Poggio Renatico, took off from the military airport of Cervia – headquarters of the 15th Air Force – and headed to the intervention area. The search and subsequent recovery operations, carried out using the winch, were particularly complex due to the poor visibility and the strong weather conditions that had affected the area. Thanks to the use of night vision goggles (NVG) and the high level of training of the SAR (Search & Rescue) crews, the operations concluded in complete safety. The two men rescued, in a serious state of hypothermia, were transferred to the hospital in Chioggia where they were handed over to the care of the 118 doctors. Due to the severe weather, the military helicopter could not return to the airport in Cervia but had to land in Bologna, using an alternate airport. The crew only returned to Cervia this morning. Identifying alternative airports to be used in emergency situations or for flight safety reasons falls within the fundamental phases of the planning of the operational flight. The crews of the 15th Stormo, and more generally of the Italian Air Force, train daily to maintain a high level of professionalism and competence when called upon to intervene. The rescue last night is one of the services that the Italian Air Force provides to the public as well. The SAR – search and rescue – is a special specialty that stems from the need to operate in search and rescue operations for military crews and personnel in difficulty, both in Italy and abroad. This capability, made possible by the use of technologically advanced equipment and personnel trained for the most marginal environmental conditions, can be directed – as in this and many other circumstances – directly at the citizen. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, covering the entire national territory, including the islands, and is provided for public utility missions such as the emergency medical transport of people in imminent danger of life, or the transport of organs and medical teams for transplants.
