Italian Air Force helicopter recovers a seriously traumatised person who fell from a cliff in Favignana
A joint intervention between an HH139B of the 82nd SAR Centre of Trapani and CNSAS Sicily personnel, which included an air rescue operation carried out by an HH-139B helicopter of the 82nd SAR Centre (Search and Rescue) of the Air Force stationed on the Trapani base ended on Monday afternoon, 24 April 2023. The helicopter intervened to recover and rescue a 44-year-old man with serious injuries. The man was seriously injured following a fall from the rocks at Cala Rossa on the island of Favignana.
The Aerospace Operations Command of Poggio Renatico (Ferrara), at the request of the CNSAS Sicily, immediately ordered the intervention of one of the aircraft in readiness at that moment and suitable for the type of emergency, ie an air rescue helicopter.
On reaching Cala Rossa, an air rescuer and the two CNSAS technicians recovered the injured man after securing him to a stretcher. The 44-year-old was then transported to the Sant 'Antonio Abate hospital in Trapani.
The intervention ended at 16h40 with the return to the military airport of Trapani where the helicopter resumed its operational readiness service.
The 15th Wing of the Air Force guarantees, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without interruption, the search and rescue of flight crews in difficulty, also contributing to public utility activities such as of missing persons at sea or in the mountains, the emergency medical transport of patients in imminent danger of life and the rescue of seriously traumatised people, also operating in extreme weather conditions.
From its establishment to today, the crews of the 15th Stormo have saved more than 7 500 people in danger of life. Since 2018, the Department has acquired the AIB (Forest Fire Fighting) capability, contributing to the prevention and fight against fires throughout the national territory as part of the inter-force device put in place by the Defence.