Military and Civilian Air Rescue in Italy

Abstract

In contrast to other European countries, Italy lacks a Civil Defense Organization. Air Rescue is a task for the Italian Air Force Search and Rescue (S.A.R.) organization. It may also draw, if necessary, on the cooperation of the other Armed Forces and State Corps, the Merchant Navy, civilian organizations, the Italian Red Cross (C.R.I.), and the Mountain Rescue Service of the Italian Alpine Club (C.A.I.). The S.A.R. units intervene at the request of civil, state, public and private, national and international organizations. The tasks currently performed by the S.A.R. in Italy include search and rescue of civilian and military air crews lost at sea or over land and of shipwrecked survivors; emergency transport of doctors and supplies to the seriously sick or injured patients from ships at sea; inaccessible localities, earthquakes, floods, and other disasters.