RSAF activates search and rescue helicopter to airlift unwell person from ship to SGH

The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) search-and-rescue unit Rescue 10 was activated on Friday (July 10) night to evacuate a man onboard a ship who required urgent medical attention.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, RSAF said its personnel "safely airlifted" the patient to the new helipad at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). 

An eyewitness, Andrew Ong, said he sighted the helicopter approaching SGH at about 10.35pm. 

A video posted by Ong shows the helicopter descending towards the new helipad, with emergency vehicles seen waiting near the landing area.

@asiaone The Republic of Singapore Air Force's Rescue 10 H225M medium lift helicopter was activated on Friday (July 10) night. #sgnews #Singapore #AirForce #Helicopter #Hospital ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

While the old helipad along MacAlister Road is a grassland clearing, the new helipad is a constructed facility along College Road, in vicinity of SGH's new emergency department.

In a social media post dated June 1, SGH said it had held a medical evacuation exercise with the RSAF to strengthen their readiness to respond swiftly during critical emergencies.

According to RSAF, the male patient was "conscious and in a stable condition" when he was handed over to the medical staff from SGH.

"We salute our RSAF aircrew and SGH's healthcare professionals, who stand ready around the clock when called upon," the post stated.

What is Rescue 10

The RSAF maintains a 24/7 unit, callsign Rescue 10, to respond to life-saving missions at short notice. 

They are often scrambled to evacuate personnel who require immediate medical attention to hospitals, including from civilian vessels in the vicinity of Singapore.

The aircraft used, a H225M medium lift helicopter, achieved full operational capability in April 2024.

According to the Ministry of Defence, it has a range in excess of 400nm (740km).

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