Growing tourism is the main reason for growing strain on the air wing of the Icelandic Coast Guard.
According to the Coast Guard its air wing responded to 257 emergency calls last year, an increase of 6 over the 2016 when the Coast Guard responded to 251 emergency calls. A total of 173 ill or injured people were airlifted in 2017, compared to 166 in 2016. The number of emergency calls handled by the Coast Guard air wing has increased by 66% since 2011 when the Coast Guard air wing made 155 flights in response to emergencies.
While the number of Icelanders who needed to be airlifted dropped, the increase in the number of foreign nationals more than made up for this. As a result foreign nationals made up a larger share of the people airlifted by the Coast Guard in 2017. 75 foreign nationals and 98 Icelanders were airlifted by the Coast Guard in 2017. In 2016 107 Icelanders needed to be airlifted and 59 foreign nationals.
Foreign nationals made up 36% of those airlifted due to accidents or medical emergencies in 2016, compared to 43% in 2017.
The air wing of the Coast Guard participates in various types of projects, including both search and rescue as well as patrolling the waters around Iceland. The air wing of the Coast Guard consists of three Super Puma rescue helicopters and one fixed wing aircraft, a Bombardier Dash 8 300 series specially designed for short take-off and landing performance.
Growing tourism is the main reason for growing strain on the air wing of the Icelandic Coast Guard.
According to the Coast Guard its air wing responded to 257 emergency calls last year, an increase of 6 over the 2016 when the Coast Guard responded to 251 emergency calls. A total of 173 ill or injured people were airlifted in 2017, compared to 166 in 2016. The number of emergency calls handled by the Coast Guard air wing has increased by 66% since 2011 when the Coast Guard air wing made 155 flights in response to emergencies.
While the number of Icelanders who needed to be airlifted dropped, the increase in the number of foreign nationals more than made up for this. As a result foreign nationals made up a larger share of the people airlifted by the Coast Guard in 2017. 75 foreign nationals and 98 Icelanders were airlifted by the Coast Guard in 2017. In 2016 107 Icelanders needed to be airlifted and 59 foreign nationals.
Foreign nationals made up 36% of those airlifted due to accidents or medical emergencies in 2016, compared to 43% in 2017.
The air wing of the Coast Guard participates in various types of projects, including both search and rescue as well as patrolling the waters around Iceland. The air wing of the Coast Guard consists of three Super Puma rescue helicopters and one fixed wing aircraft, a Bombardier Dash 8 300 series specially designed for short take-off and landing performance.
