22 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2010
Rescue crews kept busy
SICK divers, injured seafarers,
crashed vehicles – all common
fare for the Navy’s search and
rescue (SAR) crews based in
Cornwall and Ayrshire.
And you can add over-ambitious
sledgers to that list, as the country-
wide snowfall brought out the
winter sports fans.
One typical incident happened
on the patch of the duty crew at
HMS Gannet, based at Prestwick
Airport near Ayr.
The aviators were called to the
aid of an 18-year-old sledger at
Chatelherault Country Park, near
Hamilton in the first week of
2010.
The crew was tasked at 3.30pm
and picked up the casualty, a
paramedic who was already on
scene and a carer at 3.56pm,
transferring the injured man
to Glasgow Southern General
Hospital, where the helicopter
landed at 4.01pm.
HMS Gannet’s duty crew was
Maj Mike Devereux (pilot), Lt
George ‘Logie’ Baird (pilot),
Lt Cdr David Reese (observer)
and Cpl Rob Seall (aircrewman).
Lt Cdr Reese said: “This was
● A snowplough helps keep the apron clear at Culdrose
the sixth serious sledging incident
that crews from HMS Gannet
Picture: LA (Phot) Jenny Lodge
have attended this year.
“Sledging slopes are difficult criss-crossing the coast of to hospital in Plymouth;
Many passengers were flying ambulances with extra little, the calls kept rolling in – an
for ambulance crews to get to, Cornwall transferring searching for and locating
injured – two seriously paramedic support, and as ill baby, an injured 82-year-old
so helicopter assistance is often casualties to or between a missing motor launch
– and as black ice and well as providing ‘normal’ and an unwell toddler were all
the easiest, safest and quickest hospitals, or perhaps under way with no crew
frozen hail had made the SAR cover they were picked up and flown to Treliske,
means of getting the casualty to rescuing stranded on board; and picking
road surfaces hazardous, also on call to help the while emergency transfers saw
hospital.” holidaymakers from up two coastal path
it was decided to airlift police and other civilian patients flown from Treliske to
Gannet’s team was busier than a rising tide or an walkers, and their dog,
everyone to hospital. authorities as required. hospitals in London and Bristol.
ever last year, although official inaccessible cliff. who were stranded
771 lifted 26 in In the first 12 days It was all change at the top of marina
figures will not be released until But other incidents having slipped off the
four flights, the RAF of 2010 Culdrose HMS Gannet as a new CO and
later this month. involving 771’s path.
SAR helicopter from aircraft answered 15 XO have taken over the reins.
Down in the West Country, aircraft included the Just three days
Chivenor transferred emergency calls, usually The new man in charge is Lt Cdr
the Sea Kings of 771 Naval rescue of the driver before Christmas
22 and a Devon in appalling weather Debdash Bhattacharya, formerly
Air Squadron have also been and passengers from the SAR team found
and Cornwall Police and operating in areas XO at 771 Squadron, who gained
working hard, with more than 300 their car stuck in a themselves involved in a
helicopter also moved where road ambulances his Naval wings in 1991.
emergency call-outs in 2009. flooded ditch; the transfer major incident late one
some of the injured. could not venture. His predecessor, Lt Cdr Bryan
The red-and-grey aircraft, of injured passengers from the evening when a coach carrying
Lt Phil Gamble, the 771 observer The calls included transferring Nicholas, left the unit to serve in
bearing the Ace of Clubs insignia, cruise ship Queen Mary; flying around 50 people skidded off the
that night, said: “Considering the a heavily-pregnant woman from Afghanistan as Chief of Staff to the
have ‘bread-and-butter’ duties, divers suffering from the bends road near Hayle and overturned.
icy conditions, all the emergency the Isles of Scilly to the Royal Commander Joint Air Group.
services worked together extremely Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, Lt Cdr Bhattacharya’s right-
well and we were able to get the winching fallers from cliffs near hand man is Lt Cdr Reese, who
casualties evacuated from the Hell’s Mouth and Portreath in also moved north from Culdrose.
scene very quickly.” North Cornwall, and airlifting a Former XO Lt Cdr Martin
With the heavy snowfall last casualty with a broken leg from Lanni moves to Portsmouth as
month came additional tasks; Gwithian, on St Ives Bay. Deputy Staff Aviation Officer for
the squadron helicopters became Even when the pace slackened a the Navy.
Snow and ice, anyone?
BLASTS of Arctic air. Piles of
snow. Short, grey days and long,
dark nights.
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● Vehicles are unloaded from RFA Largs Bay in Harstad, Norway, for
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cold weather training Picture: PO(Phot) Dave Husbands
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