Working as a team. A major Search and Rescue (SAR) exercise was held recently in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, which combined the skills of Royal New Zealand Air Force units and outside agencies. It was an opportunity for all involved in SAR events to learn from each other and strengthen ties.

Personnel from Nos. 5, 6 and 40 Squadrons teamed up with the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) and Coastguard New Zealandfor the exercise. It involved finding a group of people stranded in a life raft, dropping supplies to them and coordinating with the vessels on the harbour to collect them as well as with a Seasprite helicopter to winch them to safety.

 

 

 

 

 

Pilots from No. 40 Squadron in the cockpit of a Hercules aircraft as they fly over the dropzone during a search and rescue exercise.
The exercise involved conducting a recovery of personnel from a deployed life raft in conjunction with maritime assets.

 

 

 

 

Rescue supplies are dropped from an Orion Aircraft as it flies over a search area in a search and rescue exercise. The exercise involved conducting a recovery of personnel from a deployed life raft in conjunction with maritime assets.

 

 

 

 

 

Royal New Zealand Navy personnel in a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) undertake rescue training during a search and rescue exercise.
The combined search and rescue exercise involved conducting a recovery of personnel from a deployed life raft in conjunction with maritime assets.

 

 

 

A Seasprite helicopter winches a person onto a Royal New Zealand Navy rigid-hulled inflatable boat during a search and rescue exercise.
The exercise involved conducting a recovery of personnel from a deployed life raft in conjunction with maritime assets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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