CHC currently provides all the Coastguard's search and rescue helicopters
The coalition Government has confirmed that the company operating the Coastguard’s search and rescue helicopters will lose the contract for half the services.
Transport minister Mike Penning announced today that CHC Scotia will not operate the Shetland and Stornoway services after the current arrangement ends.
Bristow Helicopters will now run the Scottish services, with CHC continuing to operate the helicopters at Portland and Lee on Solent.
The Stornoway helicopter carries out numerous mountain rescue missions in north-west Scotland and the Hebrides.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency will continue to manage the four bases.
The arrangement is a ‘stop-gap’ until all the UK’s search and rescue helicopters, including the ones currently operated by the RAF and Royal Navy, are privatised in 2017.
Mr Penning said: “As I announced on 28 November, procurement is now under way for longer-term arrangements which will see search and rescue contracted nationally.
“Operations will commence under these longer term arrangements during 2015 and the future contractor for the UK will assume responsibility for the MCA capability during 2017.”
Bristow will provide the Scottish SAR services starting July 2013, using Sikorsky S-92 helicopters based in Stornoway and Sumburgh. Operations under the contract are expected to run for four years.
Mike Imlach, director of Bristow, said: “We are delighted to work with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to provide this important service from the Scottish islands.
“Bristow has an excellent reputation for faultless execution of search and rescue operations. We will bring our expertise to this contract, developed in the UK between 1971 and 2007 with 11,500 missions.
“In addition, we currently operate search and rescue services in Norway, the Netherlands, and Trinidad.
“We are very much looking forward to renewing relationships with the MCA, emergency services and local communities in northern Scotland, working in partnership to once again provide vital search and rescue services to the UK public.
“As we take over the service, Bristow will work closely with the current operator to ensure that staff eligible for transfer achieve a smooth and seamless transition during this organisational change.”
Britain’s volunteer mountain rescue teams are supported by the country’s search and rescue helicopters both to evacuate and injured walkers and climbers and to speed the response to incidents on the UK’s mountains and hills.
