2022 – a record year for rescue helicopters

Large distances are overcome, they are in action day and night – Austria’s rescue helicopters have a record year with 2022 behind them. “Never before has rapid help from the air been as necessary as it was last year,” said ÖAMTC Managing Director Marco Trefanitz, summing up the rescue helicopter operations in 2022.

The emergency helicopters were used exactly 21,934 times last year and supported the police, rescue services and fire brigade from the air. Compared to 2021, these were 1,997 more missions. “This made 2022 the most intensive year in the history of ÖAMTC air rescue,” said Trefanitz.

2830 missions in Upper Austria

A helicopter from the Christophorus fleet took off more than twice an hour on average day and night in 2022. While most missions were flown in Lower Austria (5369), Styria (3964) and Tyrol (2940), Upper Austria was in the middle with 2830 rescue flights nationwide.

As in previous years, internal and neurological emergencies were the most common reasons why the teams of the emergency medical helicopters Christophorus 10 and Europa 3 were called in Upper Austria, followed by 394 missions after accidents at work or at school and 245 rescue flights after accidents.

Cooperation with mountain rescue and the Red Cross is also crucial in the numerous helicopter rescue operations, said the ÖAMTC Managing Director. Because with the 701 dew rescues from impassable terrain and the 1047 night rescue operations in 2022, according to Trefanitz, the quick help was crucial. “It’s about getting highly qualified emergency physicians and medical technology to the scene of an emergency and then getting the patients to the most appropriate hospital.”