A team from the Portuguese Air Force carried out, in the late afternoon of September 11, the successful rescue of a victim who was trapped on a difficult-to-access cliff, in the vicinity of Torre, in Serra da Estrela. The operation was triggered by the Lisbon Search and Rescue Centre, which activated the on-call crew of the permanent detachment of Squadron 552 – "Zangões", based at Air Base No. 8, in Ovar.
An AW119 Koala helicopter took off at around 18:00 towards the scene of the incident, where it performed the rescue maneuver in an area of steep and complex terrain. After the successful extraction, the victim was handed over to local rescue teams on the ground, who continued with the necessary medical assistance.
The intervention once again highlighted the crucial role of the Air Force's permanent readiness and its aerial assets in supporting the population in high-difficulty emergency missions.
