Portuguese Air Force Medevac in Rough Seas

The Portuguese Air Force conducted a medevac in very rough seas on October 13, 2014, rescuing a fisherman who lost three toes in an accident. The medevac took place 900km off shore using a EH-101 Merlin helicopter and a C-295M. The EH-101 Merlin took off from Lajes, with a military medical team onboard, and headed toward the island of Flores to refuel in order to increase their radius. After refueling they headed towards the Spanish fishing vessel. Due to the distance and the adverse weather conditions in the area of operations - very strong wind, poor visibility and ripple of about 4 meters - a C-295M aircraft helped to detect the exact location of the vessel, supported the communications between the helicopter, the craft and the Centers for Search and Rescue. The mission was successfully completed after leaving the patient in stable condition at a hospital.