In the late afternoon of today, Saturday 4 July, a crew from the 82nd Search and Rescue (S.A.R.) Centre of the Italian Air Force took off from the military airport of Trapani to rescue a 57-year-old Spanish woman who was trapped during a hike within the Zingaro nature reserve and in urgent need of medical attention.
Following a request from the Sicilian Alpine and Speleological Rescue Service (S.A.S.S.) of Trapani, the operations room of the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) of the Aerospace Operations Command at Poggio Renatico (FE) ordered the immediate take-off of the SAR national readiness crew with an HH-139B helicopter.
The helicopter made a stop in Castellammare del Golfo to embark two operators from the Sicilian Alpine and Speleological Rescue (S.A.S.S.), and then proceeded to the operational area. Upon arriving at the location of the injured person, the crew lowered the aerial rescuer and the two S.A.S.S. operators by winch, proceeding to recover the woman and immediately transport her back to the Castellammare del Golfo camp, where an ambulance was waiting for her for subsequent transfer to the nearest hospital.
Having completed the rescue, the military crew returned to the Trapani military base, where they resumed search and rescue readiness duties.
The 82nd Search and Rescue Centre is one of the Units of the Italian Air Force's 15th Wing which guarantees, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, continuous search and rescue for aircrews in distress. It also contributes 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 seriously injured individuals, operating even in marginal weather conditions.
