Coast Guard Helicopters rescue 327 in five years

The helicopters in the inventory of the Coast Guard Command are successfully carrying out their duties as the 'eyes in the sky' of the 'Blue Homeland.' The SG helicopters in the Coast Guard's inventory are used in many tasks, including 'ensuring the safety of life and property at sea, conducting search and rescue and medical evacuation missions, monitoring fishing activities, preventing all forms of smuggling and irregular migration, joint operations with other law enforcement units such as the Gendarmerie General Command and the General Directorate of Security, and preventing marine pollution.' These helicopters and their personnel, known as the 'eyes in the sky' of the Coast Guard, serve the nation without regard to time. The TCSG-515 and TCSG-511 helicopters, operating from the Coast Guard's Samsun Air Group Command, are deployed in the Black Sea Region. Each helicopter is manned by two pilots, one flight operator, and one search and rescue operator, totaling four personnel. Görkem Kaygusuz, a pilot at the Coast Guard Samsun Air Group Command, told AA that sudden rainstorms in the Black Sea region can lead to flooding and landslides, and drowning incidents are frequent during the summer months. He added, 'We carry out search and rescue operations from the air in the Black Sea Region on behalf of the Coast Guard Command. Additionally, if ordered, we also perform medical evacuations for those in life-threatening situations, such as sudden illnesses or injuries on vessels or other locations within the Turkish Search and Rescue Area.' Kaygusuz noted that in the last five years, with two AB-412 helicopters, they have carried out 327 search and rescue flights and 10 medical evacuation flights. In search and rescue operations, 90 people were rescued, including 6 from the sea and 84 from land, using crane operations. In medical evacuations, 36 people were transferred to medical facilities, including 3 from ships and 33 from land. One of the most notable rescue operations conducted from the sea occurred on January 7, 2019, when the cargo ship 'Volgo Balt' sank 150 kilometers off the coast of Samsun due to a storm with wind speeds reaching 60 km/h. Two helicopters quickly responded to the distress signal, and 6 survivors waiting to be rescued in lifeboats were saved by crane operations and handed over to health teams. Another notable rescue operation occurred on August 11, 2021, during floods in Sinop and Kastamonu, where two helicopters immediately arrived at the scene to assist citizens stranded on rooftops, rescuing 50 people and safely transporting them to secure areas. Kaygusuz emphasized that they serve the nation without regard to time.