With the contract to supply twelve AW101s to the Indian Government a hot topic this week, an amazing coincidence gives us the title of the AW101 saving an Indian national. In what appears to be a pleasant coincidence for the manufacturer, the Italian Navy yesterday put out a press release about their latest rescue – saving the life of an Indian national who had been taken ill on a ship in the Middle East.

Whiel the Italian Naval ship Etna was sailing in the direction of the port of Abu Dhabi, an AW101 was dispatched to the merchant ship Al Kabir to rescue an Indian national who was showing signs of having suffered a heart attack. After a 70 mile flight, the casualty was winched off and flown to Salalah in Oman for transfer to a local hospital.

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com