A helicopter of the 82nd SAR Combat Center of the 15th Wing carried out the transfer of a woman from Lipari to Messina
This afternoon an HH-139B helicopter of the 82nd Search and Rescue Center (SAR) of Trapani of the 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force took off for an urgent medical transport. The intervention of the helicopter was necessary to transport a 59-year-old woman suffering from a heart attack from the island of Lipari to Messina.
The helicopter first headed towards the Papardo Hospital in Messina, where it embarked a doctor and a 118 nurse and the necessary medical equipment, then it headed towards Lipari where it embarked the patient who was entrusted to the medical staff who monitored its conditions during the transfer flight to the Messina Polyclinic.
Once in Messina and the woman safely landed, the helicopter continued to the Sigonella air base where it refueled necessary for the return to Trapani, where it resumed the search and rescue promptness service.
Through its Flight Departments, the Air Force provides means and crews ready to take off at any time and able to operate even in difficult weather conditions to ensure the urgent transport not only of people in imminent danger of life, as happened today, but also of organs and medical teams for transplants. The 82nd SAR Center is one of the Departments of the 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force which guarantees, 24 hours a day, 24 days a year, without interruption, 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 the mountains, the emergency medical transport of patients in danger of life and the rescue of seriously traumatized persons, operating even in difficult weather conditions.