On the 28-30th September 2018 an aeronautical search and rescue training event was held in the Nea Agxialos region of Greece. It was held in cooperation with the Hellenic Air Force and more than 100 volunteers from the Hellenic Rescue Team (HRT) participated, here the Press Office of HRT explains more.

For the eighth consecutive year, Hellenic Rescue Team in cooperation with the Hellenic Air Force, conducted an aeronautical SAR training, with the participation of more than 100 volunteers from HRT’s branches.

The training was hosted by the 111 Combat Wing in Nea Anchialos, Magnesia Prefecture, and lasted for three days, from the 28th to the 30th September.

The aim of the training was to learn and optimise SAR techniques that contribute to a successful maritime SAR operation, but also to strengthen the cooperation between Hellenic Rescue Team and the Hellenic Air Force.

Two rescue boats, Odin from HRT’s Headquarters, in Thessaloniki, and Aegean from Magnesia’s branch, the rescue runner Gladjeresan, along with all the necessary equipment were used for the training.

An Augusta Bell 205 helicopter was used by the Hellenic Air Force for the air rescue training. This year's sessions included casualty retrieval from the water, air rescue by helicopter, boat immobilisation, survival human chain, telecommunications and demonstration of constructing a lifting net.

Additionally, all HRT’s volunteers had the opportunity to board the rescue boats and get trained on the use of the equipment. In this year’s training, volunteers from Paros, Heraklion, Trikala, Rodopi, Samos, Achaia, Ilia, Messinia, Argolis, Kavala, Attica, Larisa, Corfu, Kozani and, of course, from the Magnesia branch, who undertook the administrative support with the cooperation of HRT HQ.

Hellenic Rescue Team thanks Hellenic Air Force and in particular the commander of the 111th Combat Wing, Colonel (P) George Aristides Agorogiannis, the helicopter crew and the staff of the air force base, for their help in this training exercise.