Search and rescue helicopter annual statistics: year ending March 2024
Civilian search and rescue helicopter activity statistics in the United Kingdom for the year ending March 2024.
Documents
Details
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly by emailing search and rescue helicopter statistics with any comments about how we meet these standards.
Statistics on civilian search and rescue helicopter (SARH) activity in the United Kingdom, based on details of taskings recorded by the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC).
For the year ending March 2024:
- there were 2,735 civilian SARH taskings
- Prestwick base was the busiest of the 10 bases, responding to 402 taskings
- there were 1,425 people rescued and 159 people assisted across all taskings
There was a 6% increase in taskings compared to the year ending March 2023. The majority of taskings were classified as:
- rescue or recovery (1,351)
- support (576)
- search (518)
- pre-arranged transfers (290)
Interactive dashboard
Explore the data via our interactive search and rescue helicopter statistics dashboard covering SARH taskings from April 2015 onwards.
Notes and guidance
Notes and definitions and guidance about quality of these statistics is available.
Contact us
Search and rescue helicopter statistics
Email [email protected]
Media enquiries 0300 7777 878
To hear more about DfT statistical publications as they are released, follow us on X at DfTstats.