Prince William delivers royal rescue to injured walker
Prince William delivered a royal rescue to a holidaymaker who broke her leg while walking in Anglesey.
RAF Valley on Anglesey hits 9,000th rescue
The search-and-rescue team based at RAF Valley on Anglesey has made its nine-thousandth rescue.
Search helicopters may be grounded by strike
Search and rescue helicopters at RAF Valley on Anglesey could be grounded if proposed industrial action goes ahead.
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Prince William in documentary as Search and Rescue sold off
The television series that documents Prince William's time with the Search and Rescue operations coincides with the news that the service is to be taken away from the RAF and privatised - a move that the prince is believed to have opposed.
ITV News' Royal Editor Tim Ewart reports:
Prince William features in BBC television series
Prince William is to feature in a BBC documentary about the Search and Rescue service, where he has served as a Sea King pilot.
You can watch a preview of the documentary below:
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Prince William aids in quarry rescue
BBC One Wales have released a short preview video for Helicopter Rescue, the documentary featuring Prince William and the Search and Rescue team at the prince's base at RAF Valley on Anglesey.
The Duke of Cambridge is shown piloting a helicopter on a rescue mission to a slate quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog.
One of his crew are winched from the ground after rescuing a boy who had fallen off an old railway bridge onto rocks.
"As captain you're trying to play out the entire rescue, the transit to the rescue and back again in your mind, and pick up any circumstances or problems you can foresee, and try and fix them on the ground before you get airborne," he says in the programme.
Search and Rescue privatisation is 'step into the unknown'
Ieuan Wyn Jones, Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for Ynys Môn says that selling off the search and rescue service to a private contractor is "a step into the unknown."
Speaking following the announcement which will see the service move from Anglesey to Caernarfon.
– Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, Plaid CymruThe current search and rescue service operated by the RAF at Valley has been an excellent service for 70 years. It has saved hundreds of lives by rescuing people not only from the mountains of Wales but also those who have found themselves in difficulties around our coastline. This is a much valued service based at RAF Valley.
New search and rescue fleet
After winning the contract to take over search and rescue helicopter cover from the RAF, Bristow Helicopters have released details of the new fleet that will be deployed in April 2015.
There will be two helicopters at both its Welsh bases -Caernarfon Airport and the MOD site at St Athan near Barry.
Caernarfon's Sikorsky helicopters will cover an area of 250 nautical miles around the base and each carry three stretchers and up to 10 seated casualties. Augusta Westlands will cover 200 nautical miles around St Athan and each have room for two stretchers and six seated casualties.
All the helicopters will have a crew of four and be capable of flying at 145 nautical miles an hour.
Transport Secretary welcomes Search & Rescue deal
The Department for Transport has signed a contract with Bristow Helicopters Ltd to provide search and rescue helicopter services in the UK.
The deal will see two helicopters based at Caernarfon Airport, and a new base will be set up at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan.
– Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlinOur search and rescue helicopter service plays a crucial role, saving lives and providing assistance to people in distress on both land and on sea. With 24 years of experience providing search and rescue helicopter services in the UK, the public can have great confidence in Bristow and their ability to deliver a first class service with state of the art helicopters.
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Search & Rescue contract will create new base at St Athan
According to the Department for Transport, under the new Search and Rescue contract, 22 'state of the art' helicopters will operate from 10 locations around the UK.
- 2 Sikorsky S92s helicopters will operate from a base in Caernarfon
- 2 AgustaWestland AW189s will operate from a new base at St Athan
Duke of Cambridge's base could be shut down
Among the 12 bases from where search and rescue operations are launched is RAF Valley on Anglesey, where the Duke of Cambridge is based.
Under the contracts due to be unveiled tomorrow, the total number of bases is expected to be cut from 12 to10 although it is not clear which bases will be closed.
Assurances have already been given that the Duke will be moved to another part of the military rather than being employed by the firm that is awarded the search and rescue contracts.
Read: Government to announce sell-off of Search and Rescue service
Govt to announce sell-off of Search and Rescue service
by Chris Ship - Deputy Political EditorThe government is set to announce that Britain's Search and Rescue service is to be sold off to an American firm.
Up until now, the operation has been run by the RAF, Navy and Coastguard Agency.
The firm will actually be awarded two contracts, because the service has been separated into two parts operating different types of helicopter.
An announcement is expected just before the stock market opens in the morning.