Oct
16
Galicia: Fishermen’s Guardian Angel
Filed Under EN
Fishermen’s Guardian Angel. (Photo: Stock File)
Galicia: Fishermen’s Guardian Angel
SPAIN
Friday, October 16, 2015, 21:20 (GMT + 9)
The newspaper La Voz de Galicia posted an interesting article that we will share where Carlos del Campo is part of the Pesca 1 helicopter team, the rescue unit of Gardacostas de Galicia, who celebrates 25 years this year. He began working as a rescue swimmer in 1998 and began his career in the Pesca 2, in Viveiro. In 2000 he was in Vigo ensuring the safety of sailors. The unit has rescued more than 1,000 people in about 1,500 missions.
Carlos del Campo shares history with many of the 12,000 helicopter flight hours based on Peinador airport. He especially recalls the rescue mission of the Mini Transat in 1999. “It was pretty tough,” he recalls. This ship had left France to go to South America. When passing through Galicia, “there was a strong storm,” recalls Carlos. The crew of Pesca 1 went to the rescue at night. “The vessel had a crew member,” he recalls. “It was very difficult to save him due to the strenght of the waves, the wind and the rain.”
A photographic exhibition in Peinador has displayed proof of the work carried out by this team until November.
Carlos’ life is full of strength and conviction. “This is a really vocational job,” he explains, “it is full of very strong living situations, if you have no passion you can not stand it.” This statement of intentions shows the affection he has for his work. “We retire at the age of 55, it would be perfect to be able to do the job until then.”
It is not the only the story he tells. The Pesca 1 was the first unit to go to the rescue of the sinking vessel Prestige in 2003. “The first days of rescue were not my responsibility but I was the last crewman who went to the area before the ship sank”, he remarks. Those day, Carlos Riscos was the pilot, who recalls how the roughness of the sea complicated the task of rescue. “Prestige rescue represented very hard days,” concludes Carlos del Campo. Those were moments of a lot of work for all maritime rescue partners. I was affected especially “as a Galician man” to see what was happening.
The subsequent monitoring of the area made it possible for Pesca 1 to discover a new spill on the Galician coast. The freighter DM Spiridon left an 11 nautical mile trail of hydrocarbon.
Although he is known for Pesca 1, this is the name of the unit, but it has had four helicopters, which were the most advanced ones at the time, although Carlos has known only two of them. The first one become operational was the Bell 212 IFR, responsible for ensuring the safety of the fishing fleet. In 1998 and 1999, the Bell 412 and the Dauphin N2 were incorporated.
Salvage service changed over its quarter century of history. As a pioneer in 1990, it was the first civil rescue unit, making Galicia the only autonomous region of Spain with a civilian maritime rescue service.
Beginning in 2009, a permanent service was set. “Before it was also reachable all day,” says Carlos. “I was warned at any time and ran up to the base.” The difference with that time was made by setting up a permanent base in Peinador. “This allowed us to have a reaction time of 10 minutes from the moment we receive the warning until we are in the air.”
This increase in service resulted in new teammates. “We changed from being three pilots, three rescuers and two mechanics to being nine pilots, nine rescuers and ten mechanics and administrative staff”. Four crew teams are organized, and they have “advanced technology,” points out Carlos.
The Prestige disaster also encouraged the regional government to create, in 2004, the Coast Guard of Galicia. The Sikorsky S-76 is the ultimate responsible for ensuring maritime security.
editorial@fis.com
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