Accredited official statistics

Search and rescue helicopter statistics: year ending March 2021

Published 28 July 2021

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About this release

This release covers civilian search and rescue helicopter (SARH) operations in the UK. The data originates from the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC) who are responsible for the co-ordination of SAR helicopters, and is provided to DfT by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). This release covers the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

Main points

There were 2,208 civilian search and rescue (SAR) helicopter taskings in the UK in the year ending March 2021. This is a 7% decrease compared to the year ending March 2020. The coronavirus pandemic is likely to have had an impact on tasking figures since March 2020 with an initial decrease in taskings in April (64 taskings) and a subsequent peak in taskings in August (365 taskings) (chart 1).

On average, SAR helicopters across the UK responded to 6 taskings a day during the year ending March 2021.

1,226 people were rescued and 232 assisted by SAR helicopters across all taskings during the year ending March 2021.

Of all taskings, 46% (1,017) were rescues or recoveries. The Sumburgh base had the highest proportion of rescue and recovery taskings (81%) with the majority of taskings taking place at sea.

SAR helicopter services supported and completed 71% of all taskings during the year ending March 2021. A further 27% were terminated and 2% were diverted, suspended or cancelled.

Chart 1: Total number of civilian SARH taskings, April 2016 to March 2021 (SARH0101)

A line graph showing the number of helicopter taskings by month from April 2016.

Tasking definition:

The response of a SAR helicopter to an emergency as notified by the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC).

Overall SARH taskings for the year ending March 2019 and year ending March 2020 followed broadly similar annual trends. This included a peak in the summer months (July and August) followed by a decrease commencing in September and levelling off throughout winter (chart 2).

In the year ending March 2021, SARH taskings were initially lower than previous years in April (64 taskings), when the UK-wide lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic was applied, and increased to near previous levels between May and June. August recorded the second highest monthly volume of SARH taskings on record (365 taskings) – attributable to an increase in beach taskings following lockdown easing. This may be related to summer 2020 travel behaviour and preference for domestic holidays in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Winter trends from November 2020 to February 2021 were in line with previous years (chart 2).

Chart 2: Civilian SARH taskings by year and month, April 2018 to March 2021 (SARH0112)

A line graph with three lines for year ending March 2019, 2020 and 2021 to compare monthly taskings across the years.

Tasking categories and outcomes

Tasking category definition:

  • Rescue or Recovery: The transfer of person(s) resulting in them being delivered to a safe environment (including medical facilities)

  • Search: Search for craft, person(s) etc which does not result in moving a person

  • Pre-arranged Transfer: Transfer of patients or organs between medical establishments

  • Support: Includes on-scene assistance, pre-positioning of SAR units for a potential incident and movement of equipment/personnel

In the year ending March 2021, there were 1,017 rescue and recovery taskings which made up 46% of all taskings. This was followed by 533 support taskings (24%), 345 search only taskings (16%) and 313 pre-arranged transfer taskings (14%) (chart 3).

Pre-arranged transfer taskings had the highest proportion of taskings completed (97%), followed by 84% for rescue and recovery. The majority of support taskings were terminated (56%) which was the highest percentage of terminated taskings across the categories. The majority of search only taskings were completed (60%), followed by terminated (37%) (chart 3).

Chart 3: Number of taskings by tasking type and outcome, year ending March 2021 (SARH0102)

A bar chart with four bars for tasking type and a breakdown of number of taskings completed, terminated and other for each tasking type.

Location of tasking

Location definition:

  • Coast: Taskings occurring between 0.2 mile inland and 3 nautical miles out to sea

  • Maritime: Taskings that occur more than 3 nautical miles out to sea

  • Land: All other taskings that are not classed as coastal or maritime

In the year ending March 2021, there were:

  • 1,054 land based taskings which accounted for 48% of taskings, compared to 50% in the previous year
  • 883 coast taskings which accounted for 40% of all tasking, compared to 34% in the previous year
  • 271 maritime taskings which accounted for 12% of all taskings, compared to 16% in the previous year (chart 4)

This increase in coast taskings was driven by the increase in taskings seen in August 2020 following lockdown easing. This may be related to summer 2020 travel behaviour and preference for domestic holidays in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chart 4: Proportion of taskings by location type, year ending March 2021 (SARH0112)

A doughnut chart showing the number of taskings by location (land, maritime, and coast).

In the year ending March 2021, the majority of:

  • pre-arranged transfer taskings took place on land (69%), a decrease of 4 percentage points compared to year ending March 2020
  • rescue/recovery taskings took place on land (47%), the same proportion as in the previous year
  • search only taskings took place at the coast (50%), an increase of 4 percentage point compared to year ending March 2020
  • support taskings took place at the coast (50%), the same proportion as in the previous year (chart 5)

Chart 5: Proportion of taskings by tasking type and location type, year ending March 2021 (SARH0112)

A bar chart with 4 bars for each tasking type. Each bar is broken down into the proportion of taskings in land, maritime and coast.

Maps of SARH taskings and bases

Map of tasking location by base

In the year ending March 2021, there were:

  • 139 taskings from Stornoway base (North West Scotland)
  • 128 taskings from Sumburgh base (North East Scotland)
  • 222 taskings from Inverness base (East Scotland)
  • 193 taskings from Humberside base (East England)
  • 220 taskings from Lydd (South East England)
  • 252 taskings from Lee on Solent (South England)
  • 255 taskings from Newquay (South West England)
  • 231 taskings from St. Athan base (South Wales)
  • 218 taskings from Caernarfon (North Wales)
  • 350 taskings from Prestwick base (West Scotland) – which covers the Lake District, Ben Nevis, and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

Map 1: Tasking location by base, April 2020 to March 2021

A map showing the location of all taskings for year ending March 2021 and coloured by responding base.

Map of tasking category

In the year ending March 2021, there were:

  • 1,017 rescue/recovery taskings
  • 533 support taskings
  • 345 search taskings
  • 313 pre-arranged transfers

Map 2: Tasking location by tasking category, April 2020 to March 2021

A map showing the location of taskings and coloured by tasking type.

Map of civilian search and rescue bases

There are currently 10 civilian search and rescue bases open in the UK, with the taskings these bases have been assigned to up to March 2021 detailed in this report. An additional base, Portland, previously responded to search and rescue taskings until its closure in June 2017.

Map 3: Map of civilian search and rescue bases

A map showing the location of search and rescue helicopter bases.

Background information

This release covers civilian search and rescue helicopter (SARH) operations in the UK, for all 10 current bases. In April 2015, the operational phase of a new contract to operate civilian search and rescue helicopter (SARH) services in the UK, managed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), commenced. These new arrangements took over from the previous mixture of military and coastguard SARH services.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is now responsible for the production of statistics on SARH activity. The data originates from the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC) who are responsible for the co-ordination of a SAR helicopter and is provided to DfT by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

National Statistics

These statistics are now designated as National Statistics. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards as set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. The Code of Practice for Statistics plays an essential role in ensuring that statistics published by government inspire the public confidence through demonstrating trustworthiness and providing high-quality statistics.

Further information about these statistics is available, including:

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Contact details

Search and rescue helicopter statistics

Email SARH.stats@dft.gov.uk

Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

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