The Netherlands Coast Guard will receive new helicopters from November. The first aircraft made a short stop at Den Helder Airport today, before flying on to Lee-on-Solent (England). The crews will prepare there, to ensure that they are ready to conduct search and rescue operations later this year.
The helicopters can also be used for medical evacuations and the transport of a mobile fire crew to an incident vessel. This Maritime Incident Response Group Netherlands (MIRG.NL) provides advice and assistance in the event of a fire on a sailing ship in the North Sea. The Netherlands Guard will receive 2 helicopters of the type Leonardo Agusta Westland 189 (AW-189).
Bristow Group flies and maintains the aircraft for a period of 10 years. The aircraft can accommodate 19 people excluding crew. The crew on board consists of 2 pilots, a winch operator, a rescue swimmer and an ambulance nurse as standard.
