Category: Search and Rescue

DO10 XOW
York Rescue
Mitsubishi L200
A York Rescue Search & Rescue Mitsubishi L200, equipped with orange livery, rescue gear, and rooftop lights. Seen at a demonstration.

RAF
Westland Whirlwind HAR 10
Search and Rescue helicopter, seen in the Doncaster Air Museum

XE317
RAF
Bristol Sycamore HR14
This rescue helicopter, based on a 1940s design, served at RAF Thornaby in Teesside and in Norther Ireland. It has a 1,000 lb payload and can accommodate three passengers

Royal Navy
Westland WS-55 Whirlwind
Search and Rescue helicopter, seen in the Doncaster Air Museum

KM20 NJE
Surrey Search and Rescue
Volvo XC90
New at the end of 2020, the hybrid car is used as an initial response vehicle and carries a medical kit and a drone among other kit

HJ58 PNK
Lancaster Area Search and Rescue
Land Rover Discovery
Water Rescue unit. The yellow and white battenburg markings look really striking against the black bodywork

NV02 JVU
Yorkshire Lowland Search and Rescue
Mercedes Sprinter
This vehicle was new to this SAR team in 2019 as a control unit. Previously it had been used by Scarborough & District SAR Team for over 10 years.

Border Search and Rescue
The line up of vehicles at the rescue base in Kelso. The base is a garage with three doors and is no longer suitable for us by the service. There are no toilet facilities, the vehicles only just fit in and there is very limited storage space for equipment. Other equipment is stored at another site one mile away which slows down response times to rescue calls. They are currently fundraising £450k for a new purpose built base that will meet the needs of the organisation.

SN06 DYW
Border Search and Rescue
Land Rover Defender
Based at Kelso, Scotland. The team respond to call outs made via the police to searches in the Scottish Borders. Working on the boundary between two countries brings its unique challenges, such as identifying which side of the border a found body was on (and therefore which police service will investigate it) and working with neighbouring North of Tyne SAR who are under the Mountain Rescue England and Wales umbrella rather than the Scottish equivalent.

SN12 DSZ
Border Search and Rescue
Land Rover Defender
Used by the volunteer rescuers based at Kelso.

SN18 HMC
Border Search and Rescue
Mercedes Sprinter
Call sign Reiver Zulu, this was new in June 2018 and replaced a S registration Ford Transit County

P975 JKY
Yorkshire Lowland Search and Rescue
Mercedes Sprinter
Previously used by Edale Mountain Rescue Team

LO18 UWM
Midshires Search and Rescue
Fiat Ducato
Used by the water search team of the lowlands rescue organisation

T777 HRL
Humber Rescue
Land Rover Defender

RAF
Westland Sea King
Now in preservation at the RAF Museum

RAF
Westland Whirlwind HAR10
Now in preservation at the RAF Museum. Previously saw service between 1961 and 1982.

G-MCGE
HM Coastguard
Sikorsky S-92A
The Bristow-operated Coastguard helicopter is seen here rescuing a gentlemen from the roof of a cathedral. After lowering a medic and a stretcher the man in winched up into the helicopter that is hovering over the Minster in York, drawing large crowds. The narrow spiral staircases taking visitors to the roof of the buidling are not suitable for stretchering someone down. The Coastguard provide search and rescue helicopters for the whole country and practice every few years winching someone off the roof of York Minster.

DX63 OAU
Berkshire Search and Rescue
Vauxhall Vivaro
Lowland Rescue / Water Rescue unit

FL64 HWB
Watersafe UK
Nissan Navara

KS66 WNH
Surrey Search and Rescue
Volvo V70
The Authorities edition of the vehicle with rescue drone signs and the drone

N25 USH
Surrey Search and Rescue
Land Rover Defender 110

G-BEXJ
Channel Islands Air Search
Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 Islander
This aircraft is a temporary replacement for the damaged Islander G-CIAS. A permanent replacement is due in Summer/Autumn 2017. The original aircraft was damaged beyond repair in an emergency landing due to engine problems in November 2013. The yellow rear wing was salvaged and attached to this temporary replacement. Only basic SAR equipment is fitted to this Islander, with a lot more emphasis on looking out of the windows rather than at screens.

RK16 BGU
Surrey Search and Rescue
VW Transporter LWB
It carries a Zodiac MilPro inflatable boat in the back with a 40hp outboard motor. It was funded by the Department for Transport to Surrey Search & Rescue as part of the national flood rescue capability

BV57 RNE
York Rescue Boat
Ford Transit
Operational Command Unit, providing a mobile base for the water rescue crew.

The vehicle seen before entering service, with the remains of its previous livery from National Grid

York Rescue Boat in action

York Rescue Boat volunteers on a training exercise to rescue someone from the river and transport them to a reception team on the bank.

York Rescue Boat during one of its first operation shifts in Spring 2015. Also show are the team being briefed at the start of the shift.

SG15 AED Surrey SAR VW Amarok Lowland Rescue vehicle. This 2015 4×4 replaces their old Land Rover Defender. The car is suited to travelling across the county on normal roads but also has good off road capability where required. A fold-down screen in the Truckman rear allows briefing to be given or other information to be displayed – such as the view from a drone (shown). The total cost for the vehicle was £32,500 and was met by the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

YK62 UKC York Rescue Boat Land Rover Defender in operation

Bay Search and Rescue Diamondback Airboat built in Florida and a common sight on the Everglades

SC55 FYU Bay Search and Rescue Land Rover Discovery

SY54 SAR British Red Cross Mercedes Unimog incident control and communications support unit. This Search and Rescue vehicle has a personalised registration plate. Notice the size of the steps to get into the rear! It is owned by the Scottish Government and after a spell with Mountain Rescue, the Red Cross are the current custodians of it.

FE62 OAS Sussex Search and Rescue VW Crafter incident control vehicle, also carrying Sussex Police branding. Notice the cycles stored in the rear.

YK62 UKC York Rescue Boat Land Rover Defender 110 – This is the charity’s only vehicle. It was donated by a local dealership to help the charity raise its profile during it’s first few months of operation. It is used for publicity and will develop into a patrol and rescue vehicle. The purchase of a boat and training of volunteers will follow.

The side view. York Rescue Boat is focussed on the safety of the rivers in and around York. They aim to achieve this by means of a patrol and rescue boat, combined with a programme of education.

From the rear

The winch

The charity’s logo on the bonnet

Another view of the Land Rover

Defence Helicopter Flying School – demonstration of water rescue capability. They train Search and Rescue pilots and personnel. This is a Eurocopter Squirrel and is based at the HQ at RAF Shawbury, near Shrewsbury.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Watch a video of this vehicle in action!

Defence Helicopter Flying School – demonstration of manoeuvrability over land.



Defence Helicopter Flying School.



Defence Helicopter Flying School.



Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Watch a video of this vehicle in action!

CY57 EYR This anonymous-looking Vauxhall Movano LWB has blue flashing lights and ‘rescue’ wording on the light bar on the roof.



A closer look at the roof shows the Underwater Search Team branding. The vehicle is operated by SARbot.



The rear view, showing dog cages in the back for specialist water search dogs.

KJ07 ZMY This Incidence Response Search Team Ford Mondeo is operated by UK Defence Sec. It is registered as an ambulance and crewed by medics contracted to respond to serious incidents. It also carries search and rescue markings.

N25 USH Surrey SAR use this Land Rover Defender for rescue work. It uses blue lights and is registered as an ambulance.



A closer look at the front of the vehicle, including the winch.



A look at the rear, including the equipment trailer.



The team wait by their vehicle as a Coastguard rescue helicopter come in to land.

G-REDP This is a Eurocopter AS332L2 that is operated by Bond. It is used for rescue operations in the North Sea area.



A look at the craft from the side.



The rescue helicopter on a low level test flight, rippled by the heat haze.



The aircraft undergoing routine servicing in its hanger.

Watch a video of this vehicle in action!

FL61 XEW Watersafe UK use this Citroen Relay as a search and rescue and water rescue incident unit.



The rear view of the blue-light vehicle.

PF57 ZHW Bay Search and Rescue use this 2007 Renault Master minibus as an ambulance.



The rear view.

YT12 GWO A Mercedes Sprinter 4×4 that is used for search and rescue work by SARbot UK. They are a Dorset-based water rescue charity.



The rear view of the van. There is also an identical sister vehicle with registration YT12 GYB.

In this scene Stornoway Coastguard S-92 RESCUE 100 is seen with an ambulance and Lochaber’s Mountain Rescue minibus.



G-CGMU Rescue 100 in flight

Royal Navy Rescue 177 is seen here transferring a patient to an ambulance after an avalanche.



SF11 MXY The Scottish Ambulance Service ambulance departs on blue lights.



The rescue helicopter then takes off and returns to base.

G-CIAS Channel Islands Air Search operate this 1982 Islander aircraft for Search and Rescue work (with personalised registration). CIAS is a 24/7 charity that assists in saving lives at sea and is supported entirely by volunteers. The Channel Islands are a distance away from government-funded French and English rescue helicopters and so created their own service in 1980.



The aircraft in its purpose built hanger on Guernsey. It was built in 1982 and came to the service in 1992 with many modifications made. These include extended nose housing for radar, extended wing tips and long range fuel tanks.



Another view of G-CIAS ready for action. With callsign ‘Airsearch One’, it can travel at up to 140 knots and can stay in the air for up to 4 hours 30 minutes. It carries out sea and land searches, including mainland France and England.



The rear view of the aircraft called Lions’ Pride. It can take off with just 100m visibility and the time from call to airborne is about 25 minutes. This includes the time taken for the volunteers to drive to the hanger – a journey that is helped by the use of green flashing lights on their private cars.



The Forward Looking Infa Red (FLIR) pod shown cost £200,000 to purchase and was a massive sum to pay out for a small charitable organisation. However the benefits of having this save lives.



The underside of the aircraft as seen from the sea. The charity use the tag line ‘The Lifeboats’ Eyes in the Sky’.



A close look at the four speakers used as a public address system or siren.



Inside the aircraft. This compact space is for five team members: a pilot, a search director and observers. There is no capability to rescue or transport casualties.



The rear observer seats. The windows are bulged outwards to allow the observers to look straight down. A small chute at the bottom of the photograph allows sea flares to be placed on the sea as markers. Behind the rear seats is an inflatable life raft that can the pushed out of the aircraft to be used by up to 11 people in the sea.



In this staged photograph, G-CIAS is in flight, joined by the Channel Islands’ other rescue services.

E105 BVO Bay Search and Rescue use this flat bed Mercedes Benz truck for all-terrain rescue work.



The rear view.

S618 LRM A Volvo FL6 / Emergency One truck that was in service with Cumbria Fire. It is now part of Bay Rescue’s fleet, carrying our search and rescue missions in the Morecambe Bay area.



The rear view of the multi-purpose truck with flat bed back and crane.

V398 ESX Hebrides Search & Rescue use this Land Rover to respond to incidents on the isles of Lewis and Harris. This service began in 2011.



The rear view of the Land Rover looking out onto the beautiful but wild terrain.

Here you can see the Venturers Response Team with a fleet of a range of vehicles that are designed for on and off road use. They are a Land Rover, a Range Rover (JOY 125Y), a All-Terrain Vehicle and an Pinzgauer.

Here a Land Rover rescue vehicle from Venturers SAR arrives to rescue a car stranded in floodwater.

YC58 WTV This Renault Master van is used by Wiltshire Search and Rescue.



The rear view showing the matching trailer which includes two canoes on the roof.

N387 CBL This imported Mazda van is part of the Venturers SAR Flood Response team. The vehicle was manufactured in 1995. The flood team respond to major floods and have saved lives all around the UK. This van is not equipped with blue lights.

Y639 TUK This is a SAR Land Rover Defender 110. It is liveried as Dorset Search and Rescue, an organisation formed in 2004. However this vehicle is not part of their fleet. It was used by a civilian international major incident advisor assisting Dorset Police and MOD in running a pre-Olympic training exercise in Dorset. Unfortunately the livery was not approved and neither the use of blue lights outside the MOD training grounds in Lulworth.

It carries blue and amber flashing lights that are used independently as required. Since this photograph was taken, the livery and blue lights have been removed from this vehicle.

The rear view, showing the roof rack for carrying bulky equipment.

JDY 125Y This 1982 Range Rover ambulance is operated by Venturers Search and Rescue. It is fitted with a winch and double blue flashing light on the roof.



The winch is shown in use here as a team member extends it to assist in a very snowy environment.

XLJ 997S In this dramatic shot, a Volvo C303 belonging to The League of Venturers Search and Rescue reaches the top of a steep hill of loose dirt on a training exercise.



A clearer look at the vehicle which carries blue lights.

K518 UJT Dorset Search and Rescue operate this search control unit based on an Optare Metrorider minibus. It has a green and white checkered band down the side and no blue lights fitted.

EX03 UUD is a Land Rover Defender 90 TD5 used by Dorset Search and Rescue, based at Dorchester. It carries no blue lights.

This Land Rover is part of SARA’s (Severn Area Rescue Association) fleet. It is shown here with some of the equipment carried on show.

BX58 RYU This Iveco Daily van is used by the the UK International Search and Rescue Team in conjunction with the West Midlands Fire Service. The UK-ISAR is registered with the United Nations and is on call 365 days a year to respond to humanitarian disasters or accidents anywhere in the world.

BU08 HUV This is a British Red Cross Search and Rescue ambulance. It has been adapted from a standard Land Rover and has been fitted with blue lights and a battenburg livery.

The rear view showing the equipment stowed in the rear and the roof rack holding a lightweight stretcher.

In this action shot RAF SAR helicopter “Rescue 137” is seen airlifting a casualty from a road accident. It takes off from the A87 in Scotland and travels to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Many other road-going emergency vehicles can be seen assisting.

Q164 JBV is one of two Hagglund BV 206s that are operated by Bay Search and Rescue at Morecambe Bay, Cumbria. These tracked articulated vehicles can cope with extremely boggy conditions, and replaced a hovercraft that was used in the large tidal bay. The Haggs can travel up to 52 km/h on the road and 3 km/h on water.

K469 AHG This is the second Hagglund operated by Bay SAR. It is fitted with a different trailer to the one above, this time having equipment storage and a crane. It is fitted with a Mercedes-Benz 3-litre diesel engine, which when combined with the tracked wheels can climb slopes up to 45 degrees.

D742 YFG Bay SAR also operate this Land Rover which can tow a trailer with a rib.

Wiltshire Search and Rescue (WILSAR) operate two of these folding cycles. They are Swiss Bike LXs by Montague and due to the hinge below the seat can easily be transported in the back of a car or van. The bikes will be used in urban and rural locations for spotting missing people.

HX07 BBK is an Iveco Daily that is used by Hampshire SAR as an incident control vehicle. It isn’t fitted with any emergency warning equipment.

Here are two of SARA’s emergency rescue boats in action.

This is a Land Rover Defender that is used by Severn Area Rescue Association and a SAR ambulance. It is fitted with blue flashing lights, amber beacons and an ambulance-style colour-scheme.

This is a LDV 200 Pilot van that is also used by SARA for emergency rescue work.

This is an example of the colour-scheme used by Royal Navy rescue helicopters. They are part of the fleet air arm and are based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall and Prestwick in Scotland.

This vessel, Knight Errant Venturer, is used by Venturers Serach & Rescue. This organisation is run for teenagers and operates in the Solent to help people and animals in danger or distress.

P737 WGG is a Mercedes Benz Sprinter van that is used by Trossachs SAR team in Scotland. It was donated by Strathclyde Fire & Rescue after being removed from front line services with them. It can carry up to eight search and rescue dogs and is used at incidents across Strathcylde and at major incidents anywhere in Scotland.

M547 UFS Based at MOD Forthside in Stirling, this ex-Scottish Ambulance Service Renault Master ambulance belongs to Trossachs SAR. It is kitted out with ambulance equipment and is used for on-site first aid, as well as transporting personnel to incidents.

TCZ 5218 This Northern Ireland-registered Land Rover Defender is used for SAR work. Notice the bespoke enclosed roof rack for equipment.



The rear view of the same Land Rover.

In this action shot a Royal Navy SAR Sea King helicopter has landed to transfer a patient to a waiting Scottish Ambulance Service emergency ambulance.

M644 LBU This Land Rover is used by Cornwall Search and Rescue Team.



The rear view of the same Land Rover.

NK03 AXJ is an Iveco van used as a mobile control unit by the Teesdale and Weardale Search and Rescue Team. The side door provides access to the control area where there is room for two controllers and five personnel. Additionally, the awning can be extend to provide a weatherproof tem briefing room or to provide multi casualty care.



The rear of the van is used for storage of equipment an is separate to the control area. It hold a variety of medical, climbing ,search and rescue equipment as well as a generator for power and a compressor to extend the vehicles communication mast which is fitted to the right hand side of the van.

VN52 XPB This is a double-exposure photograph of a Vauxhall Combo diesel van used by the SAR company Sebev. It is used as an Incident Support Unit and carries pop-up shelters for major incidents, as well as a generator, floodlights and fire extinguishers among other things.

R496 MKO This Iveco Daily is also used by Sebev. It is an Incident Control Unit which is fitted with a hydraulic mast, internal control area with radios and computer mapping system. The rear compartment holds rescue equipment including fire extinguishers, medical equipment, life jackets, generator, cones and more. It is liveried in red and yellow battenburg markings.

M667 CVC Here is a Land Rover Defender belonging to ‘Global Rescue Services’. It is liveried as a Search & Rescue Team vehicle and has blue flashing lights fitted.



The rear view. The roof rack also has a top-box for weatherproof storage of equipment. The familiar spare wheel has been removed from the back door.

L337 PRA This SAR Land Rover Discovery has minimal livery and is fitted with blue flashing lights on the roof and front grille.

This is a ‘Severn Area Rescue Association’ Land Rover Discovery TDi. It is stationed at Beachley and is mainly used at marine incidents. SARA provides in-shore rescue boat and land search services for the Severn Estuary and River Severn.

Another of their vehicles is this Landrover 110 (long wheel base). It is stationed at and used around Sharpness.

This picture shows members of Trossachs Search & Rescue Team in an eight-wheeled off-road vehicle. Even the SAR dogs have matching hi-viz orange overalls.



Here is the team Landrover in the sort of terrain it is designed for. In the foreground is a team member and canine assistant. The team are not mountain rescue personnel but carry out most of their work at low level and at disaster-type incidents.



G263 EOL A close-up shot of the team G-reg Landrover. There is lots of space to carry personnel and equipment in the vehicles, on the roof and even on the front bumper. Thanks to Trossachs SAR for supplying these three pictures.

Here is a vehicle used by the North of Tyne Search and Rescue Team. The Ford Transit is large enough to carry lots of equipment and people around narrow roads and off-road tracks.



A second North of Tyne SRT vehicle, this time a Land Rover.

Now we have a look inside a Search and Rescue van. Lots of climbing equipment can be seen but unfortunately no room for a patient to lie down.

Here a RN rescue Sea King (Rescue 177) is joined by a yellow RAF rescue Sea King (Rescue 122) from RAF Valley, Anglesey. It is very rare to see both services’ helicopters together.

A RN Sea King Helicopter at Bristol Harbour.

The helicopter winches a simulated casualty to safety.

This RN Sea King Helicopter is from RNAS Cauldrose.



The other side of the aircraft.

Below the helicopter are an RAF Mountain Rescue Land Rover from RAF Leeming and an Across Jumbulance for transporting terminally ill patients on holiday (Across is a charity). The pictures were taken on Sunday 30/01/00 at the start of the ‘Across the Roof of Britain Walk’.

Here a RAF Search and Rescue Sea King helicopter approaches in a cloudless sky.

As the same heli comes in to land among some houses, the winchman looks out to check for any obstructions.

A RAF rescue crew transfer a patient to their yellow Sea King helicopter before rushing them to hospital.

A look inside a RAF Sea King search and rescue helicopter.

A RAF Sea King helicopter preparing for take off from a York hospital.



The take off. It is carrying a baby in an incubator unit to a hospital in the Midlands.



The Sea King heads off into the distance.