§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many search and rescue operations were carried out during the hours of darkness and from which defence establishments in the last five years for which information is available.
§ Mr. NeubertCentral records are held in a form which distinguishes between search and rescue missions which begin in daylight and those which begin in darkness. For the latter, the figures are:
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Number of callouts commencing in darkness Station 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 RAF Helicopters1 Boulmer 6 7 12 4 6 Brawdy 12 5 12 9 14 Chivenor 3 1 — 1 2 Coltishall 7 — 6 5 6 Leconfield 5 4 — — 5 Leuchars 12 7 4 6 9 Lossiemouth 12 11 12 11 17 Manston 8 2 5 6 2 Valley 11 7 6 5 11
Number of callouts commencing in darkness Station 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 RN Helicopters Culdrose 5 2 8 5 9 Lee on Solent2 1 2 1 2 — Portland — — — — 2 Prestwick 1 3 1 — 1 Fixed Wing Aircraft St. Mawgan 6 8 6 14 7 Kinloss 7 6 5 3 12 Mountain Rescue Teams Leuchars — — 1 — — Kinloss — — — 1 — Valley 4 3 — 1 — St. Atan — — 1 1 1 Stafford — — 2 — 1 Linton on Ouse — — 1 — — Notes:
- 1 The figures exclude a small number of callouts undertaken by units which are not assigned to the search and rescue (SAR) role.
- 2 The statistics for Lee on Solent cover the period up to 15 May 1988, when the military SAR service was withdrawn. A temporary RAF flight operated from Lee between 31 March (when the RN flight was withdrawn) and 15 May.