RTÉ Television
21 Sep, 10For the first time ever RTÉ cameras have been given exclusive access to the Irish Coast Guard's helicopter Search and Rescue service. Filmed over six months, RTÉ cameras follow the rescue crews at Waterford helicopter base (RESCUE 117) as they battle to save lives in one of the most hostile environments in the world. Leading some of the most dramatic rescues ever caught on film is chief pilot Dara Fitzpatrick who is one of only a handful of female civilian rescue pilots in the world.
Highlights from the series include exclusive footage of a plane crash off Tusker Rock, the dramatic rescue of three RNLI volunteers, the dash to save a baby's life and the vivid rescue of a woman stranded by incoming tides.
In a first for Irish television we see 18 different rescues, in operations ranging from airlifts from ships on the high seas, to mountain rescues, and medical evacuations, and we capture Dara and her crew's battle to save lives in graphic detail.
Dara Fitzpatrick has over 20 years flying experience. She is chief pilot in Waterford since 2002. She describes her job as "challenging and exciting".
The Irish Coast Guard helicopters are fitted with forward-looking infra radar (FLIR) to detect the heat signature of a person. RTÉ put fixed cameras in the cockpit, and cabin of the helicopter and also attached pencil cams to the helmets of the winch crew.
Related Posts
- New local hope for restoration of Scilly Isles service
- Malaysia to re-life S61s for another 12 years
- Sea King detachment support to successful counter-terrorism mission
- Royal Navy pilot honoured for outstanding airmanship and courage
- Memories of jungle campaign re-lived through Borneo veteran
- Losses widen at CHC Ireland
- Clayton International awarded $7M for maintenance of Egyptian Sea Kings
- Former Carson employees indicted over fatal “Iron 44″ S61 crash
- Australia sells remaining Sea Kings
- Royal Navy launches “60 years of SAR” at London Boat Show
- Australia to scrap last five Sea Kings
- AgustaWestland Signs £260M Sea King Integrated Operational Support Contract
- 11-Dec-12 Westland Sea King Mk.43B Lakselv, Norway
- 22-Nov-12 Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King Halifax, Canada
- World’s longest running scheduled helicopter service closes
- L J Walch Co. to distribute S61 Motor Generator for Ontic Engineering
- Italy retires VIP SH-3D
- Pall partners with Carson Helicopters on Sea King engine upgrade
- British International to stop Scilly Isles route after 48 years
- Croman awarded $25M contract in Hawaiian military ranges
