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| Search and rescue contract loss angers UK coastal residents | Search and rescue contract loss angers UK coastal residents |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The rescue at the weekend was typically swift and professional. An angler had been swept off the rocks at Trewarvas Point near Helston in Cornwall and, without help, would have been dead within minutes in the surging sea. | The rescue at the weekend was typically swift and professional. An angler had been swept off the rocks at Trewarvas Point near Helston in Cornwall and, without help, would have been dead within minutes in the surging sea. |
| Rescue 193 helicopter launched from the naval air station at Culdrose and took seconds to spot the man, winch him up and whisk him to the Royal Cornwall hospital. | Rescue 193 helicopter launched from the naval air station at Culdrose and took seconds to spot the man, winch him up and whisk him to the Royal Cornwall hospital. |
| "That was typical," said the Helston councillor Judith Haycock. "That man would not have had a chance if he had been in the sea for any longer at this time of year. We're proud of the navy's search and rescue service here. Would that man have survived if the helicopter had been based further away? It's a dangerous coast along there." | "That was typical," said the Helston councillor Judith Haycock. "That man would not have had a chance if he had been in the sea for any longer at this time of year. We're proud of the navy's search and rescue service here. Would that man have survived if the helicopter had been based further away? It's a dangerous coast along there." |
| The sight of the red and grey navy Sea Kings clattering out of RNAS Culdrose in Helston is beloved of local people and holidaymakers. | The sight of the red and grey navy Sea Kings clattering out of RNAS Culdrose in Helston is beloved of local people and holidaymakers. |
| There was concern and sadness in the town as the government announced not only the name of the private company that will take over search and rescue (SAR) from the navy and the RAF, but also that the Cornish operation will be moved to Newquay airport. | There was concern and sadness in the town as the government announced not only the name of the private company that will take over search and rescue (SAR) from the navy and the RAF, but also that the Cornish operation will be moved to Newquay airport. |
| Andrew George, the West Cornwall MP, said he was "very disappointed". He expressed concern that the UK's often wild western approaches would not be as accessible to the new privatised operation and was unhappy that there would be no military influence on the new service. | Andrew George, the West Cornwall MP, said he was "very disappointed". He expressed concern that the UK's often wild western approaches would not be as accessible to the new privatised operation and was unhappy that there would be no military influence on the new service. |
| Not surprisingly there was no word from the most famous SAR pilot, Prince William, who is based at RAF Valley on Anglesey in north Wales. | Not surprisingly there was no word from the most famous SAR pilot, Prince William, who is based at RAF Valley on Anglesey in north Wales. |
| The MP for the island, Albert Owen, however, was angry both that there would no longer be military involvement and that the new service would fly not from Valley but from the civilian airport at Caernarfon on the mainland. | The MP for the island, Albert Owen, however, was angry both that there would no longer be military involvement and that the new service would fly not from Valley but from the civilian airport at Caernarfon on the mainland. |
| Owen claimed the move was "purely down to cost" and said it meant that state-of-the-art facilities at Valley would no longer be used for SAR operations. "It's like moving Manchester United from Old Trafford to Accrington Stanley," he said. "All that infrastructure, personnel, capability is being lost." | Owen claimed the move was "purely down to cost" and said it meant that state-of-the-art facilities at Valley would no longer be used for SAR operations. "It's like moving Manchester United from Old Trafford to Accrington Stanley," he said. "All that infrastructure, personnel, capability is being lost." |
| And, as at Culdrose, it meant that a hugely respected military service that local people had great pride in would be lost. "This is a privatisation too far. It is a bad day for search and rescue," said Owen. | And, as at Culdrose, it meant that a hugely respected military service that local people had great pride in would be lost. "This is a privatisation too far. It is a bad day for search and rescue," said Owen. |
| On the south coast there was anger that the base at Portland in Dorset, currently a civilian service run by the coastguard, was being axed under the plans. Ian Mew, the clinical director for major trauma at Dorset county hospital, said: "It's a great shame. I do feel that lives will be lost because of this." | On the south coast there was anger that the base at Portland in Dorset, currently a civilian service run by the coastguard, was being axed under the plans. Ian Mew, the clinical director for major trauma at Dorset county hospital, said: "It's a great shame. I do feel that lives will be lost because of this." |
| Roger Macpherson, a spokesman for the Save Our Helicopter campaign group in Portland, said he was upset a base was being lost that served one of the busiest shipping lanes and leisure sailing areas in the world. "They just didn't listen to our concerns," he added. | Roger Macpherson, a spokesman for the Save Our Helicopter campaign group in Portland, said he was upset a base was being lost that served one of the busiest shipping lanes and leisure sailing areas in the world. "They just didn't listen to our concerns," he added. |
| Richard Drax, the MP for South Dorset and a former army officer, said: "I simply can't understand the thinking behind the closure of Portland." And though he accepted Bristow had an "extremely good reputation", he said it was a shame that military expertise would be lost. | Richard Drax, the MP for South Dorset and a former army officer, said: "I simply can't understand the thinking behind the closure of Portland." And though he accepted Bristow had an "extremely good reputation", he said it was a shame that military expertise would be lost. |
| A key element of the new service is bound to be how it works with organisations including the RNLI and mountain rescue teams. | A key element of the new service is bound to be how it works with organisations including the RNLI and mountain rescue teams. |
| Mike Margeson, vice chairman of Mountain Rescue England and Wales and a team leader at Duddon and Furness in the Lake District, said it was "a little cautious and apprehensive" that the new service would be as good as the largely military one. | Mike Margeson, vice chairman of Mountain Rescue England and Wales and a team leader at Duddon and Furness in the Lake District, said it was "a little cautious and apprehensive" that the new service would be as good as the largely military one. |
| In Scotland SAR operations at RAF Lossiemouth will cease and instead the new service will operate out of Inverness airport. | In Scotland SAR operations at RAF Lossiemouth will cease and instead the new service will operate out of Inverness airport. |
| Jonathan Hart, chairman of the Mountain Rescue Council of Scotland, the umbrella body for the country's 27 volunteer, dog, police and RAF rescue teams, said the appointment of Bristow was "very welcome", arguing that the new helicopters would be more agile, faster and more capable than the MoD's fleet of ageing Sea Kings. | Jonathan Hart, chairman of the Mountain Rescue Council of Scotland, the umbrella body for the country's 27 volunteer, dog, police and RAF rescue teams, said the appointment of Bristow was "very welcome", arguing that the new helicopters would be more agile, faster and more capable than the MoD's fleet of ageing Sea Kings. |
| Unlike Sea Kings, the new helicopters would be able to fly higher, taking them over mountain ranges, because they had modern de-icing equipment, he said. | Unlike Sea Kings, the new helicopters would be able to fly higher, taking them over mountain ranges, because they had modern de-icing equipment, he said. |
| Siting one of the Bristow bases at Inverness airport would also be far better for many mountain rescue teams in the north and Highlands, he said. "Introducing new, modern airframes is good news for everybody, whether you are mountaineering or whether you are involved in a road traffic collision," Hart added. | Siting one of the Bristow bases at Inverness airport would also be far better for many mountain rescue teams in the north and Highlands, he said. "Introducing new, modern airframes is good news for everybody, whether you are mountaineering or whether you are involved in a road traffic collision," Hart added. |
| "They can get you to hospital faster, they can fly over mountains rather than round them because of the de-icing equipment." | "They can get you to hospital faster, they can fly over mountains rather than round them because of the de-icing equipment." |
| Individual mountain rescue teams remain very nervous about how Bristow's service will respond to very difficult weather conditions, or complicated and lengthy rescues. | Individual mountain rescue teams remain very nervous about how Bristow's service will respond to very difficult weather conditions, or complicated and lengthy rescues. |
| Staff fear the privatised service will mean the company will be much more reluctant than RAF and Royal Navy aircrews to agree to particularly costly or risky rescues because of the threat to their profits. Military aircrew are trained and keen to undertake dangerous missions. | Staff fear the privatised service will mean the company will be much more reluctant than RAF and Royal Navy aircrews to agree to particularly costly or risky rescues because of the threat to their profits. Military aircrew are trained and keen to undertake dangerous missions. |
| Willie Anderson, chairman of Cairngorms mountain rescue team, one of the UK's busiest, said it was unclear how many casualties and rescuers the new helicopters could carry. | Willie Anderson, chairman of Cairngorms mountain rescue team, one of the UK's busiest, said it was unclear how many casualties and rescuers the new helicopters could carry. |
| But the Scottish National party was angry at the move. The Westminster SNP leader and defence spokesman, Angus Robertson MP, said: "The privatisation of military helicopter search and rescue services is misguided. It will end the role of military aircrew from these life-saving flights, which is a bad move." | But the Scottish National party was angry at the move. The Westminster SNP leader and defence spokesman, Angus Robertson MP, said: "The privatisation of military helicopter search and rescue services is misguided. It will end the role of military aircrew from these life-saving flights, which is a bad move." |
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