LISTEN: HMS Gannet assist during weekend floods
Battling for eight-hours against storm force winds and torrential rain, the Royal Navy’s helicopter rescue crew from HMS Gannet carried out multiple operations across severely flooded parts of Cumbria during the weekend.
With Storm Desmond unleashing chaos across Northern England and parts of Southern Scotland, the helicopter crew took to the skies on Saturday evening and headed to Cockermouth at the request of Belfast Coastguard.
The team of highly-trained airmen provided a detailed overview of Cockermouth, large parts of which were already under several feet of water. The crew then searched buildings and vehicles in the area – many of them abandoned – and ensured that remaining occupants were safe and well.
Next up for the team was the rescue of an elderly woman from her home close to the banks of a river. The crew evacuated the distressed lady from her house and winched her to safety from her back garden.
Another task saw HMS Gannet search and rescue oversee the possible evacuation of two elderly residents from a Cockermouth home that was surrounded by rising floodwater. On arrival an assessment of the situation was made and it was decided that the residents would be safer in the building while emergency services continually monitored the situation.
Reports from police in Carlisle told of persons trapped in floodwater, with several reportedly clinging to lampposts. HMS Gannet headed to the scene and searched the area, working with local rescue teams to evacuate casualties in the area.
After an eventful evening and morning the crew returned to their base at HMS Gannet in Prestwick at around 7am having spend around ten hours in the rescue areas and almost eight hours on flying operations.
Our reporter Natalie Crawford spoke to Lieutenant Commander Stuart 'Butch' Cassidy about the weekend's search and rescue operations...