The operation concluded at dawn today. Rescue of a man who became isolated and in difficulty on a cliff near Torre Chia beach, on the south coast of Sardinia. The operation was carried out by helicopter HH-139B of the’80° SAR Centre (Search and Rescue) from the 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force, stationed in Decimomannu (CA).
The crew on alert, who had recently received the mission order from Operations Room of the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) of Aerospace Operations Command in Poggio Renatico (FE) – activated by the 13th MRSC (Maritime Rescue Sub Centre) in Cagliari – headed towards the area of operation, to search for and rescue a man in difficulty who was trapped on a cliff. Once located, the man was transported aboard the military helicopter using the winch. After the rescue was completed, the man was transferred to the G. Brotzu National and High Specialisation Relief Company in Cagliari for medical checks and treatment.
The rescue operation concluded successfully, and the helicopter and its crew returned to the military base in Decimomannu (CA), immediately becoming available for deployment should the need arise.
It 15th Wing 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 mountains, the urgent medical transport of patients in imminent danger of death, and the rescue of severely injured persons, operating also in complex meteorological conditions, both day and night. Since its establishment to date, the crews of the 15th Wing have saved thousands of lives, while in summer they also carry out Forest Firefighting (AIB) activities within the scope of assets provided by the Defence for this campaign. From the 15th Wing in Cervia, in addition to the 80th SAR Centre in Decimomannu (Cagliari), the 82nd SAR Centre in Trapani, the 85th SAR Centre in Pratica di Mare (Rome), the 84th SAR Centre in Gioia del Colle (Bari), and the 83rd SAR Group, located in Cervia (Ravenna), also depend on it, dispersed throughout the national territory.
The Italian Air Force's flight units are capable of transporting patients, organs, medical teams, and ambulances, even in complex weather conditions. Hundreds of flight hours are carried out each year for these types of operations, not only by the helicopters of the 15th Wing of Cervia but also by the aircraft of the 31st Wing of Ciampino, the 14th Wing of Pratica di Mare, and the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa.
