The mission was conducted by the 15th Wing of Cervia in synergy with the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps Emilia Romagna.

In the late evening of 22 February 2026, an HH-139B helicopter from the 83rd SAR (Search and Rescue) Group of the 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force, based at Cervia military airport (RA), was dispatched to assist a injured man in a very difficult area near Modigliana (FC). The crew, on standby duty, having received the order for immediate take-off from the operations room of the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) of the Aerospace Operations Command in Poggio Renatico (FE), took off at 9:40 PM to head to the intervention zone.

On reaching the location of the injured person, the crew winched down the aerial rescuer who reached the wounded man, who had already been assisted and stabilised by technicians from the Emilia Romagna National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (CNSAS). Subsequently, the same man was transported by stretcher aboard the military helicopter using the winch, together with the CNSAS technician. Once the aerial rescuer was also recovered, the helicopter set course for the established drop-off point inside Modigliana's football field. Here the patient was handed over to the air ambulance for subsequent transport to Cesena hospital.

The rescue operation having been successfully concluded, the military crew returned to the Cervia military base, where they resumed their search and rescue readiness service.

The 15th Wing of the Air Force guarantees, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without interruption, 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 mountains, the emergency medical transport of patients in imminent danger of life, 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 lives in peril. Since 2018, the Department has acquired AIB (Wildfire Fighting) capability, contributing to the prevention and fighting of fires throughout the national territory within the framework of the joint task force deployed by the Defence.