The Spanish Maritime Safety Agency (SASEMAR) is celebrating 20 years of activity on the island on Gran Canaria. Based in Las Palmas, the INAER Spain (INAER) operated helicopter Helimer Canarias has carried out more than 1,365 emergencies and successfully assisted more than 1,500 people.

To coincide with this milestone, INAER, the country’s leading emergency services provider has begun renovating its facilities in Las Palmas to provide the space and equipment required to continue providing services to SASEMAR.

INAER will invest €1.2m in the construction and refurbishment of the hangar housing the Helimer Canarias, a Sikorsky S61, as well as a Casa CN235 for pollution surveillance. The new open plan area will measure 1,572 square metres.

“This project demonstrates SASEMAR’s dedication to ensuring the best technical condition and maintenance for its aircraft, which allows us to carry out operations with the highest levels of safety,” said Luis Arizón, Fleet and Engineering Director at INAER Spain, “I want to emphasise the strategic importance for INAER in providing our services to SASEMAR throughout the country.”

The new facilities will also have a two-storey annex with a 145 square metre ground floor area consisting of warehouses and workshops, as well as an office area and lounge. The 140 square metre top floor will contain bedrooms as well as classrooms for SASEMAR crew training. The renovation is expected to take six months and will be completed later this year.