ZAGREB, July 23, 2020 - The faults found on two Croatian helicopters participating in the NATO mission in Kosovo have been removed or are being repaired and have not affected the operational capability of the Croatian Air Force or the continuity of the NATO operation, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.

"All the faults have been removed or are being repaired and have not affected the operational capability of the Croatian Air Force or the continuity of the NATO operation," the ministry said in response to a query from Hina after the commercial television channel Nova TV reported that two helicopters had been found in May to be faulty.

The ministry said that only minor faults had been found on the helicopters. One has been repaired in the meantime and is in operational use, while the other is expected to be operational later this week.

The helicopters and their pilots, as well as other staff of the Croatian Air Force have a lot to be thanked for when looking back on last year. 

It isn't only the tireless efforts of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) which need to be praised when it comes to dealing with emergency medical situations up and down the country, but the Croatian Air Force and the Croatian Army, as well as their equipment, as a whole.

As Morski writes on the 5th of January, 2019, during 2018, a total of 885 patients were transported by both transport and multipurpose helicopters belonging to the Croatian Air Force (HRZ), whose medical issues, usually those of an emergency nature, required emergency medical aviation. During the transit of these helicopters, 2,283 Croatian Air Force flights were carried out and completed, totalling 855 hours in the air.

Additionally, throughout 2018, 23 requests were received for the assistance of Croatian Air Force helicopters in search and rescue operations on the land, during which a total of 15 injured persons and 132 members of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) were safely transported. During these particular operations, a total of 107 Croatian Air Force flights were carried out and completed, which amounted to 43.25 hours in the air.

Namely, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia continue to provide excellent support in dire situations in which emergency air transport is required, and they remain in a state of constant readiness (during the day and night) with two helicopters, one of which being the helicopter of the 93rd Air Base, and the the second belonging to the 91st Air Base, stationed at Rijeka Airport's Krk helipad.

In most cases, Croatian Ait Force flights sent out for emergency medical situations work alongside established helipads which fulfil the necessary 24-hour operating conditions KBC Firule, Hvar, Stari Grad, Sućuraj, Selca, Korčula, Blato, Šolta, Dubrovnik-Medarevo, Rab, Lastovo-Ubli, Vis, Lošinj, Cres i helidrom Delta – Rijeka), the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia said.

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