Sicily, Aeronautica Militare HH-139B rescues hiker in Zingaro reserve

In the late afternoon of Thursday, October 1, an HH-139B from the 82° Centro Search and Rescue (S.A.R.) of the Aeronautica Militare responded to an emergency in the Zingaro nature reserve.

The helicopter rescued a 28-year-old woman who had become stranded after being injured during a hike in the protected area.

The Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico Siciliano, activated by the Centrale Operativa 118 Palermo-Trapani, had reached the injured woman and assessed her condition.

As ground evacuation was impossible due to her medical condition and the rugged terrain, the team requested support from the Aeronautica Militare.

Hoist recovery

The Comando Operazioni Aerospaziali in Poggio Renatico (FE) then ordered the launch of the helicopter on alert from the 82° Centro SAR di Trapani-Birgi.

The aircraft flew to the sports field in Castellammare del Golfo, where it embarked a technician from the Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico Siciliano before proceeding to the incident area.

Once the woman had been located, the crew lowered the rescue operator and the Soccorso Alpino technician by hoist. The two then carried out the recovery.

The injured woman was transported to the sports field in Castellammare del Golfo. An ambulance was waiting there to take her to the nearest hospital.

After completing the mission, the crew returned to Trapani military base and resumed its search-and-rescue alert duty.

The 82° Centro SAR mission

The 82° Centro Search and Rescue is part of the Aeronautica Militare’s 15° Stormo. The unit provides uninterrupted search-and-rescue coverage for aircrews in distress, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

It also supports public-service missions, including searches for missing persons at sea or in the mountains, urgent medical transport for patients in imminent danger of death, and rescue operations for seriously injured people.

Operations can also be conducted in marginal weather conditions. Since the establishment of the 15° Stormo, its crews have saved thousands of people in life-threatening situations.

Since 2018, the unit has also had AIB, forest firefighting, capability. It therefore contributes to preventing and combating wildfires across the country as part of the Defense’s joint-service response system.