News

Norrlandsflyg reveal 2009 rescue results

February 08, 2010

Norrlandsflyg, the Swedish SAR and air ambulance operator has revealed its 2009 figures.

The company which operates Sikorsky S-76s in both roles across Swedish said its SAR helicopters had been called out 383 times while the EMS helicopters carried out 2,449 missions.

As a whole, the company's seven bases, the company carried out 2,832 missions. SAR missions operate from five bases, from from Sundsvall in the north of the country and Gothenburg in the west. The others are based in Stockholm, Visby and Ronneby.

The company also operates two air ambulances,  one for Norrbottens Läns Landsting located in Gällivare and the other for Västra Götalandsregionen based at Säve Airport near Gothenburg.

The company said: "For all the efforts that are made every day with our helicopters, the overwhelming majority directly help people in distress, injured seamen, the sick passenger on a ferry, recreational sailor with a heart attack, rescuing people from burning pleasure craft or get people seriously injured inm a traffic accident. The helicopter is in many cases totally unique, and superior to other means of transport, it can land and launch almost anywhere, and able to fly directly to a hospital."

The company won its first SAR contract from the Swedish Government in 2002, after the government decided to privatise a task that earlier was a responsibility of the Swedish Armed Forces.