Longest Medevac operation underway.

flazio

From the Coast Guard's Facebook page.

Request for an urgent Medevac off a Cruise Ship 800 miles West of Ireland. Rig Erik Raude advised mid-trip reful off her for Rescue 115 is possible. Air Corps CASA is available for top cover. Mission confirmed and ongoing this morning. This will be Ireland's longest range SAR mission ever undertaken

And then an update,

Refuelling is currently happening. The urgent medevac of the elderly american lady with serious medical condition will take place at approximately 600 kilometers from the coast. Rescue 115 will have to re-fuel again on the return leg. The CASA aircraft is in the air over the mission providing a very welcome Top Cover. So we will have a helicopter (S92) recently made in the USA rescuing a citizen of the USA on its first real long haul mission! Best of luck.

Lets hope for a good outcome.

who the fug

Location of the Rig Erik Raude

helimachoptor

Is the Raude on the way to somewhere else?

flazio

Latest

Rescue 115 on rig and has a technical fault so mission on hold. Cruise liner told to carry on closing the coast. Engineer being dispatched to Rescue 115. Lively day!

goldie fish

Elderly Passenger needing Medevac on MS Marina, which is due in Cork tomorrow afternoon. Erik Raude is not going anywhere any time soon, as she is currently attached to the seabed by 1.5km of steel pipe.

Bang Bang

goldie fish wrote: »

Erik Raude is not going anywhere any time soon, as she is currently attached to the seabed by 1.5km of steel pipe.

No reflection on the operation or patient but that is a funny reply:D

tricky D

Update:

S-92 (new helicopter with greater range) reported to have gone tech (warning light) on the oil rig. S-61 dispatched with engineer. If not fixed in time window, S-61 will continue recovery once liner comes within range.

tricky D

Further ICG update:

Rescue 117 from Waterford will take two Engineers out to the rig and will be winched on to the platform and return to standby on Castletownbere helipad. If Engineers give the OK R115 will complete the mission. Otherwise R117 will take the mission otherwise and complete later tonight when the cruise liner gets in range. Best of luck to both crews.

iceage

R117 on route to rig. Can't beat the S-61!

wotswattage

Just saw an IRCG chopper fly out over Tralee bay heading west about 15 minutes ago, couldn't tell for sure if it was an S-92 or S-61 but it was def red+orange I would know the difference it was just too far away...

It appeared to be departing Tralee (or maybe Kerry Airport) heading west judging by its route. Wonder if its involved in todays operation or another unrelated incident? Busy day regardless!

wotswattage

iceage wrote: »

R117 on route to rig. Can't beat the S-61!

Just looked at your image after I posted, answers my question! It was the S-61 en route to the rig, guess they had to pick up the engineers @ Shannon, I was wondering how the Waterford chopper could be so far North on its way South-West...

tricky D

wotswattage wrote: »

Just saw an IRCG chopper fly out over Tralee bay heading west about 15 minutes ago, couldn't tell for sure if it was an S-92 or S-61 but it was def red+orange I would know the difference it was just too far away...

S-61

iceage

Latest from CG Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/IrishCoastGuard/posts/559562074087632?notif_t=notify_me

tremendous job well done to all involved.

vulcan57

Whole operation now stood down as patients condition has stabilised. R117 returning to Castletownbere for fuel the back to base. ETA of ship to cork is 09.00-10.00 Sunday.

iceage

EI-ICG & EI-SAR both safely back at respective bases.

BoonDoc

Great to see the Irish lads in action. Nice work guys.

WilcoOut

what does 'Top Cover' mean?

WilcoOut

WilcoOut wrote: »

what does 'Top Cover' mean?

A guess would be having the air corps casa in support.

goldie fish

WilcoOut wrote: »

what does 'Top Cover' mean?

Top Cover provides communications relay and course vector to helicopters. Handy when your fuel is low and your target is a small dot in a large ocean.