TNAG-2672-FCO40-3869-Hong-Kong-defence-issues-1993 — Page 57

CONFIDENTIAL

Chapter Three

forces include RN and RAF helicopters, and RAF Nimrod maritime patrol

aircraft (MPA) and mountain rescue teams. Two RAF Rescue Co-

ordination Centres co-ordinate all military SAR tasks and, by agreement with the Department of Transport, all civil aviation SAR incidents.

321. On 21 October, the Department issued an Open Government

Document containing the results of a comprehensive review of the military Search and Rescue (SAR) requirement. The Royal Air Force will redeploy its SAR helicopters in the United Kingdom and introduce an all- Sea King SAR force available round-the-clock and with enhanced bad weather performance. The Sea King flights at RAF Manston and RAF Brawdy will move to RAF Wattisham and RAF Chivenor respectively,

and those at RAF Leconfield, RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Boulmer will be

retained. The flight at RAF Valley will be upgraded from Wessex to Sea King. The Wessex flights at RAF Coltishall and RAF Leuchars will be withdrawn. Royal Navy SAR units at Culdrose and Prestwick are already

equipped with Sea King and contribute to round-the-clock coverage of the

seas around the United Kingdom; additionally, the Sea King flight at

Portland provides day cover only.

322. In the course of 1992, RAF and RN SAR units were called out on

2,018 occasions and rescued or assisted 1,387 people. They also received a

number of awards for rescue operations, including for the rescue of ten men from MV Igloo Lion off Guernsey, 16 crew members from the

Russian factory ship Kartli off the coast of Scotland, and an injured crewman from a fog-bound North Sea gas platform. The six RAF

Mountain Rescue Teams also continue to be very busy and have recently

welcomed female volunteers.

CONFIDENTIAL

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