Nighttime Air Rescue from Ventotene: HH-139B of the 15° Stormo Transfers a Man in Life-Threatening Condition to Latina

On the night of February 8th, an HH-139B helicopter from the 15° Stormo of the Italian Air Force carried out a delicate emergency medical transport from the island of Ventotene to the Latina airport, enabling the rapid hospitalization of a man in imminent life-threatening condition.

The operation was conducted by a crew from the 85° Centro SAR (Search and Rescue) in Pratica di Mare, activated by the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) of the Aerospace Operations Command in Poggio Renatico at the request of the Prefecture of Latina.

The Mission

Upon receiving the takeoff order, the helicopter departed from the Pratica di Mare base, initially heading to the Latina airport, where it boarded the medical team. Subsequently, the aircraft reached Ventotene to retrieve the patient, ensuring a rapid and safe evacuation despite the nighttime conditions.

Once back in Latina, the patient was disembarked along with the medical personnel and transferred by ambulance to the destination hospital for necessary care. After completing the operation, the HH-139B returned to base, restoring the full readiness of the national SAR system.

The Role of the 15° Stormo

Since its establishment, the crews of the 15° Stormo have saved thousands of lives. The Unit ensures, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, search and rescue activities for crews in distress and contributes to public utility missions: from searching for missing persons at sea or in the mountains to emergency medical transports, and rescuing severely injured individuals, even in complex weather conditions.

Since 2018, the 15° Stormo has also acquired the AIB (Forest Firefighting) capability, contributing to the prevention and combating of fires throughout the national territory as part of the Defense's joint forces system.

In addition to the 85° Centro SAR in Pratica di Mare, the 15° Stormo also oversees the 80° Centro SAR in Decimomannu (Cagliari), the 82° Centro SAR in Trapani, the 83° Gruppo Volo SAR in Cervia, and the 84° Centro SAR in Gioia del Colle (Bari), ensuring comprehensive territorial coverage.

An Essential Service for the Community

Rescue and medical transport activities are one of the institutional tasks of the Italian Air Force. The flight units are constantly available to the community with means and crews ready to operate in any condition to ensure urgent transport not only of patients in life-threatening conditions but also of organs, medical teams, and ambulances. Every year, hundreds of flight hours are dedicated to these life-saving missions, confirming a continuous commitment to serving the country.