The man was on board the cruise ship Artania about 180km off Arbatax.
Late yesterday evening, Friday 2 November, an AB 212 helicopter of the 80 ° Centro Combat SAR (Search And Rescue) of Decimomannu, employed by the 15 ° Stormo of the Italian Air Force, intervened to rescue a crew member of the cruise ship Artania, which sailed about 180km off Arbatax, seized by a serious illness and in imminent danger of life.
The helicopter took off from the Decimomannu military airport shortly before 22pm following the activation by the Rescue Coordination Center of the Air Operations Command of Poggio Renatico (FE), the Italian Air Force coordination center for air rescue .
After about an hour of night flight carried out using special Night Vision Googles, supplied exclusively to military crews, the AB 212 helicopter reached the cruise ship and began the recovery procedures of the man through the use of a winch stretcher.
Once the boarding operations were completed, Decimomannu's crew quickly headed to the Brotzu hospital in Cagliari, where the patient was entrusted for specific medical care.
The 80th SAR Combat Center (Search & Rescue) is one of the departments of the 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force that guarantees 24 hours a day, 24 days a year, 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 the mountains, the emergency medical transport of patients in danger of life and the rescue of seriously traumatized patients. From its constitution to today, the crews of the 365 ° Stormo have saved about 15 people in danger of life.