The delicate rescue operation was carried out last night by an HH-139B of the 85th SAR Centre of the 15th Wing.
The rescue of two hikers in the Monte Maiella area by the’85° SAR Centre at Pratica di Mare.
Yesterday evening a HH-139B helicopter, on national readiness duty for search and rescue, was alerted by the SAR Centre Operations Room to carry out a search for a couple, a man and a woman, who had contacted the emergency services because they were stranded in the mountainous area of the Majella. The request was received by the Operations Room via the Abruzzo delegation of the CNSAS (Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico - National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps).
The crew quickly made their way to the location where the couple was stranded, where, due to the strong gusts of wind and poor visibility, had to make multiple approach attempts to the recovery point.
Thanks to the experience gained on numerous search and rescue missions in difficult terrain, as well as the use of night vision goggles, the crew managed to land in proximity to the two hikers. From there, the aerial rescuer reached the couple on foot, who were by then suffering from hypothermia, before leading them to the helicopter.
Once on board, the two were immediately warmed with emergency thermal blankets and immediately transported to Pescara Airport, where a medical team took them by ambulance to a hospital facility.
The crew then returned to the operational base to resume national readiness service.
The’85° SAR Centre depends on the 15th Wing in Cervia, which guarantees, 24 hours a day, every single day of the year, the search and rescue of flight crews in difficulty, 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 traumatised individuals, operating even in complex weather conditions.
From its establishment to the present day, the crews of the 15th Wing have saved thousands of lives.
From the 15th Wing in Cervia, in addition to the 85th SAR Centre in Pratica di Mare, the following are also stationed throughout the national territory: the 80th SAR Centre in Decimomannu (Cagliari), the 82nd SAR Centre in Trapani, the 83rd SAR Group, located in Cervia itself, and the 84th SAR Centre in Gioia del Colle (Bari).
