What happened
On the afternoon of 6 December 2015, a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter, registration EI-ICG, was dispatched on an urgent search and rescue mission near Hook Head, Co. Wexford. The mission was initiated after emergency services received reports of teenagers in the water. Upon arrival at the scene, the crew identified two casualties: a male teenager and an unresponsive female teenager.
To prevent the loss of life, the winchman decided to attempt a simultaneous recovery of both individuals. The male casualty was secured in a helicopter rescue strop, while the female was placed in a hypothermic rescue strop. As the winchman and the casualties reached the helicopter cabin, the female casualty slipped from her strop and fell approximately 45 ft back into the water. The crew immediately winched the winchman back down to recover her. While both individuals were eventually brought to a hospital, the 14-year-old girl passed away several days later.
The investigation
The AAIU examined the flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and the equipment used during the operation. The investigation looked into the decision-making process of the crew, the condition of the rescue strops, and the operational procedures of the operator. Investigators also reviewed the training records of the crew and the manufacturer's guidance regarding the use of rescue strops for unconscious individuals.
Findings
- The winchman acted under extreme time pressure and perceived an imminent risk to both lives.
- There was no evidence of mechanical failure or wear on the rescue strops.
- The crew used a standard method of lifting two casualties at once, which was a common practice among the operator's personnel.
- The female casualty slipped through the Hypothermic Rescue Strop during the simultaneous winching process.
- The operator's manuals lacked specific, documented guidance for managing the medical and operational risks of winching unconscious casualties using these specific strops.
Safety action
- The investigation issued a safety recommendation to the operator to provide documented guidance for crews to better assess and manage the risks associated with winching both conscious and unconscious casualties using helicopter rescue strops.