The Armed Forces have been assisting the Cumbrian emergency services through the night in dealing with the severe flooding in and around Cockermouth.Â
Cumbria police are leading and co-ordinating the overall rescue effort.
Three RAF search and rescue helicopters from bases at Valley, Leconfield and Boulmer and two RAF mountain rescue teams are assisting at the scene.
Two engineering teams are constructing hard-standings to allow forward operating bases for the helicopters.
This morning, personnel with Land Rovers from RAF Spadeadam have been providing the police and fire services with additional mobility in the town and Carlisle Castle barracks are being used as a forward base and rest centre for the emergency services.
42 Brigade, the regional brigade for the North West, is continuing to liaise closely with Cumbria police in determining where military support is appropriate.
Speaking to the media today, Group Captain Jonathan Dixon, Commander RAF Search and Rescue Force, said:
“It’s been a very hectic period, as I’m sure everyone’s aware. We were aware of the rising waters in and around Cumbria yesterday and we had very close liaison with the police forces who were organising the rescue efforts.
“We deployed ground liaison officers into the area first of all yesterday afternoon, and subsequently when we were required we also deployed four helicopters and two military mountain rescue teams with communications vehicles.”
“The weather was very poor, not just the rain but also low cloud and gales up to 50 knots, and so it made conditions very poor in the area.
“However, all the crews are highly trained and they have night-vision goggles and they were able to conduct the rescue operations as required.”
Describing the rescues that have been carried out by the RAF today, Group Captain Dixon said:
“We initially sent an aircraft from RAF Valley and we also subsequently deployed rescue helicopters from Leconfield and Boulmer, both on the east coast, and between them they picked up over 50 people.
“Once those aircraft had been out for about 10 hours, we subsequently deployed an aircraft from Chivenor in North Devon to make sure that we could provide a continuity of effort.”
Most of the rescue work was conducted during the night-time. Group Captain Dixon explained:
“Most of those aircraft were still operating until five o’clock or so this morning, and at which point really as daylight began to come up and as some of the flood waters and the immediate life-saving threat has reduced, then those aircraft have returned, and the last one was sent away about an hour ago.
“We do have crews on immediate standby if the situation turns worse again, with new crews and aircraft refuelled and ready to go as required.”
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