FAB’s activity is specialized in the rescue of victims of plane crashes, rescues at sea or in inhospitable areas
When the subject is Search and Rescue Aviation, the phrase that has echoed for 56 years in the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) is: “I knew you would come! The expression goes back to June 26, 1967, when five military personnel were rescued after the disappearance of the aircraft C-47 FAB 2068 in the Amazon jungle. The operation was so remarkable that the date was chosen to celebrate the Search and Rescue Aviation Day. They are the ones who are always ready to save lives.
The Search and Rescue Aviation – SAR (Search And Rescue) – is an activity of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) specialized in rescuing victims of plane crashes, high-seas rescue, or in inhospitable areas that can only be reached by air. The rescues are carried out with helicopters, such as the H-36 and the H-60L, due to their hovering capabilities. The fixed-wing aircraft available for search missions are the SC-105, the P-3AM, the P-95, and the C-130.
Currently, ten Squadrons are part of the Air Force and are located in all regions of Brazil: 2nd/10th GAV – Pelican Squadron and the EAS – PARA-SAR Squadron, located in Campo Grande (MS); 1st/8th GAV – Falcon Squadron, in Parnamirim (RN); 3rd/8th GAV – Puma Squadron, 1st/7th GAV – Orungan Squadron and 1st/1st GT – Gordo Squadron, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ); 5/8th GAV – Pantera Squadron, in Santa Maria (RS); 2º/7th GAV – Phoenix Squadron, in Canoas (RS); 7/8th GAV – Harpia Squadron, in Manaus (AM); and 3º/7th GAV – Netuno Squadron, in Belém (PA).
The Commander of the 2nd/10th GAV – Pelican Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Emanuel Patrício Beserra Garioli, talks about the challenges of the search mission. “The aircraft must fly as low and as slow as possible within their safe margins, over regions that are usually mountainous, at times of the year when the weather is not the best; they must, above all, always fly to the maximum of their autonomy, with the crew remaining on board for long hours, since time in the area always translates into a greater chance of success and a greater chance of finding life,” he explains.
“All the work, all the training, and all the employment of the aerial effort become valid when we remember that this element, this abnegation, may become the only thread that sustains someone’s life. The spirit and emotion involved in the case of FAB 2068 will never cease to foster the virtues of the men who swore that for a life, the order is to fight,” emphasizes Lieutenant Colonel Emanuel.
The FAB is prepared for rescue 24 hours a day. On May 9 of this year, for example, the 1/8th GAV – Falcon Squadron was activated to rescue a 54-year-old man with a serious trauma in the pelvic region. The victim was aboard the merchant ship Kynouria, from the Marshall Islands, which was about 230 km off the coast of Pernambuco. According to the Squadron Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Marcelo de Almeida Cândido da Silva, the flight crew and all the military personnel who stayed on the ground acted synergistically to rescue the victim.
The procedure performed for rescue on a ship requires expertise of the crew, with the use of a winch and rescue team, but also great coordination between SALVAERO, SALVAMAR, the military of the squadron and the Natal Air Base (BANT). “We were very proud to witness the excellent esprit de corps of the Air Unit, which allowed us to reach the end of the day with one more life saved. Mission accomplished!”, celebrated the Commander.
Photos: FAB