Search & rescue
Finding those in distress
When the call comes in to help find a missing person or group, the New Zealand Defence Force has aircraft on standby 24/7, 365 days of the year to respond immediately. Whether it is a lost tramper or a vessel in trouble on the ocean, our Air Force personnel have the equipment and skills for the job.
The National Contingency is an agreement with the Government to always have personnel, ships, and aircraft ready to deploy after a request from the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre.
I thought it was another crashing wave but when I peered out I saw the Hercules flying right over my raft.
Phil van der Mespel
C-130H(NZ) Hercules practising Search and Rescue in the Hauraki Gulf
Our P-3K2 Orion and C-130 Hercules aircraft can fly over vast areas of ocean to get to vessels in trouble or look for lost ships and boats. They are equipped to deploy survival equipment including a life raft, a communication device, water, and food.
244
flying hours for air-based searches, fy20/21
Our NH90 helicopters are often called on to help look for missing trampers in New Zealand’s lush and dense bush, on snow-capped mountains, from flooded waters, or from rocky cliffs. A primary role for the helicopters is to fly search and rescue teams in and out of the search areas. Their combination of payload and fuel endurance gives the search and rescue controller the ability to move or rotate their teams at a high pace.