In the late afternoon yesterday, a helicopter from the 85th C.S.A.R. (Combat Search And Rescue) Centre of Pratica di Mare took off from Capodichino Airport to carry out the rescue of a passenger from the ferry ’Venezia“.”
Sunday 27 November, a helicopter HH-139B of the 85th C.S.A.R. Centre of the 15th Wing The helicopter based at Pratica di Mare intervened to provide assistance to a passenger who became unwell during a voyage aboard the ferry “Venezia”.
The military aircraft's intervention, which took off around 17:30 from Capodichino Airport, was necessary to allow the patient to reach the nearest hospital as quickly as possible.
Upon reaching the ship, which was transiting off the coast of the Bay of Naples at the time, the crew immediately activated, ensuring the patient's immediate boarding using a winch. Landing around 6:20 PM at the Ospedale del Mare in Naples, the man was handed over to the medical care of the healthcare staff. The helicopter then returned to the Capodichino base, where it resumed its operational readiness service.
Yesterday's transport was requested by Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre of the Coastguard in Rome and was coordinated by the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC), the operational structure of the Aerospace Operations Command which also supervises and coordinates types of missions such as emergency medical transport.
The 85th C.S.A.R. Centre is one of the units of the 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force that guarantees, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without interruption, the search and rescue of flight crews in difficulty. It also contributes to public utility activities such as the search for missing persons at sea or in mountains, the emergency medical transport of critically ill patients, and the rescue of severely traumatised individuals, operating even in adverse weather conditions.
Watch the recovery video on the profile Italian Air Force Twitter
