Online helicopter petition launched
Cllr Cunningham said: “The North currently relies on a system which transfers the emergency calls from Belfast MRC to the HMS Gannet SAR Flight Unit in Prestwick, Scotland, which is the busiest search and rescue unit in the UK.
“If a helicopter is not available there, the Irish Coastguard Helicopter Rescue teams are then engaged, normally this is Sligo but there have been occasions when the only units available have been Dublin or Limerick. The travel times from Prestwick are already a concern, never mind travel times from Sligo or Dublin.”
Anyone wishing to add their name to the epetition should log onto http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/34993.